Vietnam mops up after Xangsane

2006-10-02 09:03

Le Thang Long

Danang - Vietnam counted the costs on Monday after typhoon Xangsane ripped through the centre of the country, damaging more than 200 000 homes, downing power lines and killing at least 11 people.

The storm, which was downgraded to a tropical depression on Monday, also brought massive devastation to the Philippines, where at least 76 people were killed and millions of people were still without power and clean water.

The death toll in Vietnam rose to 11 early on Monday as officials in the central city of Danang - hard-hit by Sunday's storm - received field reports from rescue workers. State media had earlier put the death toll at 16.

Officials said some 240 000 houses were destroyed or damaged, along with more than 10 000 hectares of crops. Nearly 250 docked ships were smashed and hundreds of electricity and telephone poles downed.

The cost of damages in Danang alone would amount to at least $200m, authorities estimated.

Warning of floods and landslides

Officials expressed relief that the toll had not been higher, but warned of the danger of floods and landslides in the coming days due to the heavy rains, especially in mountainous areas.

Authorities said it would take three days for the high waters to recede.

Xangsane - which hit Vietnam with maximum sustained winds of 148km an hour on Sunday - hit central and southern Laos later on Sunday, but no significant damage was reported.

A new tropical storm headed for the Philippines on Monday, threatening to disrupt relief efforts in the aftermath of Xangsane.

- AFP