12 dead in Vietnam floods, landslides

Flash floods and landslides killed at least 13 people in central Vietnam.

Heavy rains pounded the central Khanh Hoa province over the past few days as tropical depression Toraji blew in from the South China Sea, triggering landslides that wiped out houses and destroyed a small reservoir.

Hundreds of troops were dispatched to clean up destroyed villages and washed out roads.

At least 12 people have been killed so far while a search was ongoing for several others, an official from the provincial disaster office told media.

The main highway linking north and south Vietnam was temporarily blocked and some railway routes were interrupted, while images on state media showed destroyed houses buried under debris and vehicles submerged in floods.

It may be mentioned that Vietnam is routinely hit by heavy rains during typhoon season from May to October.

At least 185 people have been killed in natural disasters across Vietnam since January.

Last year, 389 people were reported dead in natural disasters, causing damage worth US$2.6 billion, according to official figures.