VietNamNet Bridge - The National Steering Committee for Storm and Flood Control said that floods in the central region had left 76 people dead, 6 missing and 42 injured by October 21.

Floods in central Vietnam partly caused by hydro-power plants

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Flood death toll reaches 46 

Nearly 320 communes are reported to have been submerged. More than 50 are still isolated and in need of food and clean water. 

Statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development show that more than 47,000ha of rice and subsidiary crops have been submerged and thousands of tons of rice destroyed.  

The floods also swept away about 74,000 cattle and fowls. Nghe An is the worst-hit area with more than 29,000ha of crops under water.  

On October 21, about 155,000 students from 297 schools in Vinh City, Nghe An Province, went back to school after one week off.  

However, more than 50,000 students will probably not be able to resume schooling for another week because 145 schools and many roads remain submerged. 

Nearly VND500 million (US$25,500) and tons of clothing, books and learning aids have been donated to help students disadvantaged by the floodwaters. 

The National Hydro-meteorological Forecast Centre said the eye of Storm Megi is expected to be over China's Guangdong Province within the next 72 hours.

Wind gusts of between 49 to 88km per hour are predicted for the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago.  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs instructed the Vietnamese Embassy in Brunei to verify and complete the necessary procedures to return 16 fishermen who were rescued by Brunei's ship on Tuesday to their homes in the central province of Quang Ngai. These fishermen had been in distress at sea while they were being on board of the QNg96455-TS ship. 

The Ministry of Finance has asked its departments in flood-hit provinces to keep a check on prices.  

Departments have also been told to stockpile rice, medicine and other food in areas prone to disasters.  

They will also work with other government offices to repair damage caused by the disasters so that life can quickly return to normal. 

The ministry has also asked that finance departments send reports on price and market developments. 

This is aimed at firms attempting to unfairly profit from the disaster.

Rescue teams on October 21 managed to lift a coach with 10 dead passengers inside from a river in Ha Tinh Province. Another four dead were found in sections of the Lam River. Six more people are missing and rescuers are still looking for them. 

Earlier, another 17 passengers managed to escape or were rescued. 

Raging floodwaters from the Lam River swept the coach from National Highway 1A on October 18. It was later found submerged 100 metres away.  

Floodwaters in Ha Tinh are forecast to stay high for at least the next three days.

PV