Asia-Pacific

Floods kill 13 in Vietnam; 6 still missing

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-11-04 14:29

HANOI- Flash floods in southern central provinces of Vietnam since Sunday have claimed the lives of 13 people so far in the country, the state-run Vietnam News Agency reported Thursday.

Of the total deaths, seven people are in Khanh Hoa province and six in Phu Yen province, said the report. The floods also left six people missing.

Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet visited the affected areas on Thursday and decided to give an aid of 30 billion Vietnamese dong ($1.54 million) and 500 tons of rice to help the provinces deal with the aftermath of the floods.

Khanh Hoa was hardest hit by the floods with an estimated 300 billion Vietnamese dong ($15.38 million) loss in the floods. Around 450 houses were completely destroyed, and 23,000 others were submerged.

Local government has evacuated more than 6,500 people in affected to safe places.Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai and other government officials also went to the provinces to inspect the rescue work.

Hai urged local authorities to provide sufficient food, drinking water, medicine and clothes for people affected by the floods, according to the report.