Torrential rain and flash floods in the central region left at least 28 dead, with seven missing and nine injured.

More than 900 border soldiers with 500 lifebuoys, 400 life jackets and 35 tents were mobilised to join the rescue work in the central region.

Around 70,000 houses from Quang Tri to Thua Thien-Hue city Province were flooded. More than 5,150 households in low-lying and submerged areas in Ha Tinh, Quang Tri and Quang Binh provinces were relocated to higher ground.

The National Hydro-Meteorology Forecast Centre said the low pressure, off China’s Hainan Island, was about 360km north east of Vietnam’s central provinces.

The low, together with a cold spell, would bring heavy rainfall to central provinces from Nghe An to Quang Tri.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on October 5 sent an official meesage, demanding urgent measures to deal with the disaster.

The Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control yesterday required local authorities to collaborate with the Search and Rescue Committee, to inform offshore fishing vessels about the low pressure to avoid dangerous areas and seek shelter if necessary.

Local authorities were required to take measures to deal with landslides and floods.

The Ministry of Health also urged local health agencies from Thanh Hoa to Binh Thuan provinces to supply 100,000 tablets of Chloramine B and 100 lifebuoys to flooded areas.

More than 900 border soldiers with 500 lifebuoys, 400 life jackets and 35 tents were mobilised to join the rescue work. More than 1.5 million tonnes of cooking,15,000 packets of instant noodles and 2.5 million litres of water were sent to help people in flood-hit areas.

Ha Tinh Province People’s Committee provided VND1 billion (US$51) worth of aid to flood victims. Thousands of people were mobilised to re-open roads and control drainage systems.

As many as 300 soldiers were sent to help evacuate more than 4,000 households in flood-prone areas in Quang Binh Province. Nearly 2,000 households would be moved to safer places today.

Hanoi People’s Committee on October 5 said the city’s agencies and organisations had donated VND1 billion ($51,000) for the five heavily-affected central provinces.

The Vietnam Red Cross also provided financial support and goods valued at VND820 million ($41,820) for Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces.

This afternoon, October 6, Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai will make a field trip to the central region.

The rainfall from October 1-5 in the central Vietnam reached the record high level, with over 1,600mm in Minh Hoa district, nearly 1,300mm in Mai Hoa district, over 1,150mm in Tuyen Hoa district and over 980mm in Tuyen Hoa district in Quang Binh province. The average rainfall in the region was from 500 to over 800mm.

Flood in the central region:

Nearly 700 houses in Minh Hoa commune, Quang Binh district, are flooded to the roof.

Thousands of people have to temporarily live at Minh Hoa commune People’s Committee office and the local cultural house.

In Quang Tri province

A primary school in Dong Ha city, Quang Tri province.

Drying rice

Many roads are damaged by flood.

In Ha Tinh province

The Ho Ho dam.

PV