At least 55 victims were claimed by floods and landslides in Vietnam. Intense rains also hit coffee plantations and caused damage worth hundreds of millions of euros.
The number of victims of prolonged rains, large-scale floods and landslides in Vietnam has risen to at least 55. This was reported by the disaster management office on Saturday, adding that another 13 people are missing. It was reported by the AFP and Reuters agencies.
In the past week, in some parts of central Vietnam, where there are large coffee plantations, more than 1,900 millimeters of rain fell. Almost half of the casualties were reported from Dak Lak province, where 27 people died, while Khanh Hoa province recorded 14 casualties. The Vietnamese government estimates that the floods caused economic damage of approximately nine trillion dong (over 296 million euros).
More than 235,000 houses and almost 80,000 hectares of agricultural land were flooded. Persistent rains have lashed southern and central Vietnam since late October, with flooding hitting popular holiday destinations. On Saturday, several highways were impassable and around 300,000 people were left without electricity.
According to the statistical office, natural disasters in Vietnam from January to October claimed 279 lives or went missing and caused damages in the amount of more than 1.7 billion euros. In Vietnam, there are heavy rains in the period from June to September. According to scientists, human-induced climate change has caused extreme weather events to become more frequent and destructive in recent times.
