Vietnam flood deaths reach 90 as damage sweeps central region

At least 80,000 hectares of rice and crops were damaged

Severe and prolonged flooding across Central Vietnam has killed 90 people and left 12 others missing, the government said.

More than 1,154 homes were damaged and about 186,000 houses inundated at the peak of the floods, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment said on Sunday. At least 80,000 hectares of rice and crops were damaged, according to the ministry.

Deep flooding persists in parts of Dak Lak and Khanh Hoa provinces, where road and bridge collapses have left hundreds of households isolated, though water has receded in some other areas. Authorities are attempting to restore access with repair work as they clean up the damage.

Heavy rain is expected to gradually decrease starting from Nov. 25, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecast.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, attending the Group of 20 talks in Johannesburg, convened an urgent virtual meeting with ministries and local authorities nationwide to review the flooding situation and coordinate ongoing response and recovery efforts in the central provinces, according to a posting on the government website.

Preliminary estimates place total economic damage around at least 9 trillion dong ($340 million), according to the government. Vietnam has been hit by 14 storms this year.