Two Vietnamese kayakers died when their craft overturned on West Lake during a violent storm on Wednesday evening.

A house for day-boarders in Muong Te Commune in the northern province of Lai Chau destroyed by the whirlwind early yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyen Cong Hai

A taxi driver was also killed when a large tree toppled onto his vehicle at the intersection of Hung Vuong and Phan Dinh Phung roads in Ba Dinh District.

Two female passengers in the taxi were taken to a local hospital with injuries. The vehicle was completely wrecked.

Searchers found the body of the first kayaker floating in the lake two hours after the storm. They discovered the second body yesterday afternoon.

About 100 large street trees were uprooted and many electricity poles toppled by the heavy rain.

The storm also caused blackouts in several areas.

Early yesterday, two residents were injured when a tree was ripped up by a whirlwind in Muong Te Commune in northern mountainous Lai Chau Province.

The whirlwind also wrecked or severely damaged 29 houses.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, Le Trong Quang, said soldiers and police had been mobilised to help those affected.

VNS/VNN