VietNamNet Bridge – At least 62 people died and 23 others were missing in central provinces by October 7 because of flood.

According to the National Committee for Floods Prevention and Control, Quang Binh province recorded 36 fatalities and 44 injured victims, with 17 people still missing. The 16 other deaths came in Ha Tinh, Nghe An and Quang Tri provinces.

Flood inundated innumerable houses in Ha Tinh while 34,650 houses in Quang Binh, over 10,000 in Quang Tri and more than 7,200 accommodations in Thua Thien-Hue were submerged in floodwater.

More than 3,149 people in Quang Binh’s Tan Hoa commune have left their homes as flood waters submerged the roofs, and moved to a limestone cave in a mountain for shelter.

The army has been using boats and helicopters to move people to safety and deliver food to the affected area.

According to the National Committee for Floods Prevention and Control, a total 41 ships and boats were destroyed during floods, and four ships have gone missing. Thousands of hectares of rice fields have been flooded. Landslides and floods have cut off several major roads, including highways 1 and 9 and the Ho Chi Minh highway. Rail services have also been disrupted.

Maintenance crews on October 6 repaired the Ho Chi Minh Highway as cascading soil and rock closed the section of the highway a few days ago.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai visited Quang Binh Province on October 7 to guide works to ease flood damage.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung told local governments in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Thua Thien-Hue provinces to expense its state budget to purchase instant noodles and clean water to provide to victims.

In response to the appeal of Vietnam Red Cross, agencies, organizations and individuals in the country launched subscription for people in the central.

By October 7, a fundraising campaign on a national scale had collected over VND20.8 billion, of which over VND15.4 billion has been sent straight to flood-stricken central region provinces. The Ho Chi Minh City Fatherland Front was the biggest donor with VND6.9 billion.

The government office held a collection for flood victims on October 6, President Nguyen Minh Triet, former President Tran Duc Luong, Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan, former Vice President Truong My Hoa and staffs gave at least one day salary to support central people.

President Nguyen Minh Triet sent his condolence to people in the central provinces, especially to families whose relatives were dead in the flood, the same day.

The government has gave Quang Binh province 1,000 tons of rice and VND100 billion ($5.1 million) as disaster relief. The Ministry of Health has supplied provinces from Nghe An to Thua Thien-Hue with medicine and life-jackets. The Vietnam Fatherland Front planned to provide VND1.5 billion ($76,500) in aid for the provinces from Ha Tinh to Thua Thien-Hue. The National Center for Clean Water and Rural Sanitation has provided chemicals to help affected provinces treat contaminated water.

Genreal Vo Nguyen Giap sent a telegram of extending sympathy to flood victims in his native province of Quang Binh, his hometown, on October 8.

VietNamNet correspondents captured the life of 3,149 people in Quang Binh’s Tan Hoa commune who have left their homes to live in a limestone cave:

PV