Natural disasters are estimated to have left 173 dead and missing, and 168 injured this month, the General Statistics Office (GSO) said Oct 28. Of the total, Quang Binh province reported the highest human loss of 72, followed by Ha Tinh with 31 and Nghe An 30. The calamities have caused estimated losses of VND8.5 trillion in Oct, including VND5.2 trillion damages for Ha Tinh, VND1.9 trillion for Quang Binh and VND1.2 trillion for Nghe An. More than 400,000 houses and 51,000 hectares of paddies and other crops have been inundated during the month, the office noted. Vietnam is one out of the ten most vulnerable countries by natural disasters, particularly tropical storms, floods, landslides and droughts. It is estimated to suffer ten storms a year. (GSO Oct Edition)
