At least 18 people have died, more than a dozen are missing and nearly 46,000 have been evacuated after floods that submerged thousands of homes in central Vietnam, authorities said on Monday, as the country is preparing for further torrential rains.
State media showed entire villages submerged by the waters in the central provinces of Quang Tri and Quang Nam, while the waters spilled over into the former imperial capital of Hue and the tourist town of Hoi An during the weekend.
More than 100,000 homes have been flooded and nearly 46,000 people have been evacuated, disaster management officials said.
The army organized a spectacular rescue operation of eight fishermen, who had been swept away by rough seas in Quang Tri province. However, three fishermen have died and three others are missing.
The country is bracing for another storm from the South China Sea, with heavy rains expected again.
Vietnam frequently faces very difficult weather conditions during the rainy season, between June and November, with the central coast regions being the most vulnerable.
Last year, 132 people died or went missing due to natural disasters in Vietnam, according to the General Bureau of Statistics.