Flooding takes 11 lives in central Vietnam

Hanoi (VNA) - Heavy rain and subsequent flooding in Central Vietnam have
claimed 11 lives, including seven in Quang Nam province and three in Thua
Thien-Hue province, the National Steering Committee for Storm and Flood
Control said.

The committee reported on Oct. 20 that the floods also damaged 12,000 houses
and schools and around 11,500 ha of paddy fields and cash crop, swept away
220 heads of cattle, and inundated 46 ha of fish farms in the region.

Major roads in Thua Thien Hue were submerged under 0.5-1.2 m flood waters
while many sections on roads to Nam Giang, Tay Giang, Nam Tra My and Nong
Son districts in Quang Nam province were damaged.

Head of the National Steering Committee for Storm and Flood Control Cao Duc
Phat is currently in Quang Nam province to join hands with local
authorities in overcoming flooding consequences.

The National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting forecast that water
levels of rivers in central provinces from Nghe An to Thua Thien-Hue will
continue to rise due to heavy rain on Oct. 19 and 20.

It also alerted those provinces to possible flash flood and landslides in
mountainous districts and flooding in low-land areas.-Enditem