Vietnam floods death toll hits 56

More than 230,000 people are in need of emergency food aid after floods in Vietnam's southern Mekong Delta that killed 56 people.

Officials say 47 of the fatalities were children.

Teams of militiamen and volunteers have evacuated more than 62,000 people to higher ground and are working to evacuate thousands more.

The officials say more than 230,000 people are in need of food aid in the three hardest-hit provinces, but so far only 100 million dong (£4,400) in aid has been distributed to about 5,000 people.

Vietnam's Red Cross says it plans to launch an international appeal for the flood victims this coming week.

Floods caused by heavy rains have prevented more than 150,000 students from starting the new school year, which began on Wednesday.

More than 105,000 homes were inundated in the provinces of Dong Thap, An Giang and Long An, the officials say.

In the worst-hit province of Dong Thap, where 27 people, including 21 children, died, authorities are stepping up a campaign to urge people to leave dangerous areas, said Dang Ngoc Loi of the provincial floods and storms control bureau.

Twenty-one people, including 18 children, were reported dead in the neighbouring province of An Giang, another four children in Can Tho province, and two children each in the provinces of Long An and Kien Giang, officials of the provincial floods and storms control bureaus say.

Loi says local Governments also urging residents not to allow their children to stay at home alone.