Floods caused by prolonged downpours have claimed at least four lives in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta province of An Giang over the past few days, state media reported. Flood water from upstream An Phu district in the province has damaged some residential properties and over 117 hectares of rice and subsidiary crops, said the provincial storm and flood control department. The heavy rains have also caused flooding in several central and southern provinces, affecting lives of local residents and their near-harvested farm produce. In the southern central province of Binh Thuan, downpours have submerged 175 houses, nearly 1,200 hectares of rice and nearly 500 hectares of crops, including dragon fruit, rubber and cashew trees as of Sept. 11. Some riverside areas in Ham Thuan Nam and Ham Tan districts of Binh Thuan, are still underwater. Chief Officer of the provincial storm and flood control department Nguyen Trong Hai said that water levels at some reservoirs have risen at alarmingly high, adding that it should be discharged. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said that rainfall in the central region is measured at 100-250m averagely, urging precautions against flash and heavy flooding. Natural disasters left seven dead and missing across Vietnam, damaged over 274 houses and inundated 2,300 hectares of rice and other crops in Aug, causing a total loss of VND225 billion ($10.82 million). (vovnews.vn Sept 12, monre.gov.vn Sept 12)
