Deadly storms in Vietnam

Flash floods triggered by a tropical storm killed eight people in Vietnam, while 14 others remain missing and another was killed by a falling tree.

In the Central Highland province of Daklak, four people were killed yesterday and 14 others are still missing, including a family of five whose house was washed away by flash floods, said provincial disasters official Phan Thi Thu Hien.

In neighbouring Lam Dong province, four people were washed away by floods while a 13-year-old boy was killed by a falling tree, said provincial disasters official Duong Thanh Hung.

Heavy rains triggered by the storm has dumped up to 62 centimetres (24 inches) of water in the province over the past four days, forcing about 5,000 residents from their flooded homes, Hien said.

No rain was reported in the area today.

She said authorities are still searching for 14 people.

The tropical storm with wind speed of up to 72 km (45 miles) per hour is still moving slowly along the central coast, the national weather forecast centre said on its website.

It issued warnings of flash floods and landslides amid forecasts more heavy rains in the coming days.