HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Rescuers and aid workers in central Vietnam raced to reach isolated area that were battered by floods and landslides, killing at least 37 people, as another typhoon was on track to make landfall later this week, officials said Monday.
Days of record rain that began in late October triggered flash floods and landslides that inundated villages, swept away homes and displaced tens of thousands.
Many neighborhoods remained without power or cut off from data networks, including in Danang. Canals, riverbanks and coastlines were also eroded, and several national highways were still blocked.
Meanwhile, Typhoon Kalmaegi is forecast to rapidly strengthen as it heads toward Vietnam’s central coast, with winds potentially reaching up to 166 kph (103 mph) when it enters the South China Sea on Wednesday, after crossing the Philippines, according to Vietnam’s National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
Rescuers reached many stranded residents late last week as floodwaters briefly receded, but by Monday morning rivers were rising again. The Huong and Bo rivers in Hue City reached dangerous levels, and officials warned that heavy rain is expected to continue across the region, state media said.
State media said authorities sent food, clean water, medicine and shelter while helping families rebuild damaged homes. Teams worked to clean debris, restore power, water and transport links and prevent disease outbreaks. The government was also repairing irrigation systems and supporting farmers to restart crop and livestock production as floodwaters recede.
The death toll from the most recent floods and landslides rose to 37 on Monday, with five people missing and 78 injured, officials said.
Vietnam has been pummeled by a relentless series of storms this year, leaving little time to recover between disasters. Typhoon Ragasa dumped torrential rain in late September, then Typhoon Bualoi slammed the central coast and Typhoon Matmo resulted in flooding in the north.
Together, the three storms had left more than 85 people dead or missing in two weeks, and caused an estimated $1.36 billion in damage.
Vietnam is among the world’s most flood-prone countries, with nearly half its population living in high-risk areas. Scientists warn that a warming climate is intensifying storms and rainfall across Southeast Asia, making floods like this year’s increasingly destructive and frequent.
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