Death toll rises after floods in Vietnam

Disaster officials say soldiers in northern Vietnam are searching for people still missing from floods and landslides as the death toll rose to 116.

Rescue workers rushed to find 42 people listed as missing and to recover bodies after the floods triggered by a tropical storm that battered nine northern provinces over the weekend.

Officials said today that military helicopters have begun supplying food and water to people still stranded in three districts in the two hardest-hit provinces.

Provincial disaster official Thao A Tua said in the worst-hit province of Lao Cai, 11 bodies were recovered yesterday, bringing the death toll there to 48.

In the neighbouring province of Yen Bai, disaster official Tran Anh Van said 34 people were killed.