Typhoon kills at least 55 people in Vietnam

Floods and landslides triggered by Typhoon Lekima have killed at least 55 people in Vietnam and 16 others remain missing and are feared dead, officials said today.

Packing 80 mph winds, Typhoon Lekima made landfall last Wednesday in central provinces.

The death toll in the worst-hit central province of Nghe An rose to 22 after eight more bodies were discovered over the past two days, said provincial disaster official Pham Hong Thuong.

“Communication to many parts of the province is still cut off,” Thuong said. “The death toll is likely to rise.”

Thuong said transport to many villages in the province was still not possible, making relief efforts to these areas extremely difficult.

In the neighbouring province of Thanh Hoa to the north, the death toll stood at six. The toll in the province was reduced when it was found that one body had been double-counted. Three others were still missing and feared dead, said provincial official Vo Trong Kien.

“Floods have also hindered our rescue efforts and thousands of people are hungry as water has wiped out their provisions,” Kien said.

On Saturday, two military helicopters were called in to drop food to people in Thach Thanh.

Eight people were reported killed in the provinces of Hoa Binh, Son La and Quang Ngai, authorities said. Ten people were also missing in Hoa Binh, Son La, Quang Binh, Ninh Binh and Yen Bai provinces.

Floods and landslides triggered by its aftermath have killed dozens of people and left many others missing across many central and northern provinces, according to the Department of Floods and Storms Control and provincial disaster officials.

The department set the initial damage estimate from the typhoon at 659bn dong. The department has not put damage estimate caused by the flooding.

Vietnam is prone to floods and storms that kill hundreds of people each year.