Hanoi (VNA) – Flash floods and landslides triggered by downpours in the pastdays had left 23 dead and 10 missing in the northern mountainous provinces,mainly in Lai Chau and Ha Giang, by 7:00 on June 28.

Ofthe victims, 16 deaths and 9 missing victims were in Lai Chau province, fivedeaths in Ha Giang, one death each in Quang Ninh and Lao Cai, and one missingperson in Dien Bien, reported the Standing Office of the Central SteeringCommittee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

Floodsalso pulled down or swept away 161 houses, damaged 958 homes and submerged1,800 others.

Inaddition, more than 1,500 hectares of rice and crops were inundated or destroyed,while nearly 600 hectares of aquaculture were damaged and 738 cattle heads andover 13,800 poultry were killed.

Totaldamage was estimated at nearly 500 billion VND (around 21.8 million USD).

Thesame day, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development launched a fundraisingcampaign to support the flood and landslide victims in northern provinces.

Accordingto the MARD Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong, the proceeds, along with donations fromthe ministry’s labour union, will be promptly distributed to the provinces,helping people stabilise their lives and recover production.

Heavyrains from June 23 to 26 had sparked floods and landslides in many areas in thenorthern mountainous provinces of Ha Giang and Lai Chau. Some areas reported rainfalls of over500mm.

PrimeMinister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has issued a dispatch asking relevant ministries,sectors and localities to focus resources on search and rescue along withactivities to overcome flood consequences in the affected localities.-VNA