A landslide in Thới Lai District's Tân Thạnh Commune in May this year destroys two houses. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Natural disasters have left 33 people dead and missing in the first six months of this year in Việt Nam, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The country has seen a tropical depression; 16 downpours, flash floods, and landslides; 120 storms, lightning strikes and hailstorms; two severe cold spells, 11 strong winds causing unusually large waves on the sea; 129 earthquakes and 187 landslides, as well as high tides, according to the Department of Dyke Management and Flood and Storm Control under the ministry.

The natural disasters collapsed 147 houses, damaged 7,649 houses and ruined 36,470ha of rice and other crops, alongside killing 41 cattle and 5,325 poultry. A total of 20 boats were sunk or damaged; 17ha of farmland was damaged; 4.85km of dykes, embankments, canals were eroded or damaged; and 1.77km of roads were damaged.

The cost of the damage is estimated at VNĐ211.3 billion (nearly US$9 million).

Most recently, downpours, tornadoes and lightning in Thái Nguyên, Bắc Kạn and Sơn La provinces from June 17-19 left one dead and one injured in the latter province.

A total of 1,057 natural disasters hit Việt Nam in 2022, leaving 175 dead and missing. The disasters caused economic losses of some VNĐ19.5 trillion ($825.85 million) last year.

The human and economic losses were 1.6 times and 3.4 times the figures in 2021 respectively.

The country is forecast to have fewer storms and tropical depressions in 2023 than in previous years, according to the Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration. — VNS