By Xinhua,
Hanoi : Prolonged heavy rains and floods have claimed 49 lives in northern and central Vietnam by Sunday, Vietnam News reported on Monday, citing sources with the National Steering Committee for Storm and Flood Control.
In Hanoi alone, there have been 18 deaths. The total property damage for the capital city was estimated at 176 million U.S. dollars, the newspaper quoted source with the committee as saying.
According to the Hanoi Water Drainage Company, waters in rivers and lakes in the city are at high levels as the whole city depends on the Yen So pumping station, which has a capacity of 45 cubic meter per second. All 11 pumps at the station are operating at full capacity.
It is estimated the floods and high water levels will have completely receded in Hanoi in the next four to five days, said Nguyen Anh Tu, an official from the drainage company.
More rains will be likely to continue in northern and central provinces during the next few days, according to the National Center for Hydro- Meteorological Forecasting.