Natural disasters damaged VND172 billion ($9 million) for Vietnam in the first six months of 2010, the General Statistics Office said July 1. The calamities left 33 deaths and injuries, destroyed 27,600 houses, 1,700 hectares of paddy and other crops during the period, the office noted. Vietnam is one out of 10 most vulnerable countries by natural disasters, particularly tropical storms, floods, landslides and droughts. Natural disasters kill 800 Vietnamese people on average per year and caused property losses estimated to account for 1%-2% of the country’s GDP between 1996 and 2005.
