CENTRAL REGION — Governmental agencies and donors have sent emergency aid of 23 tonnes of dry provisions, 25,000 boxes of instant noodle and 10,000 bottles of water to flood affected provinces in the central region.

The Centre of Flood and Storm Prevention in the Central and Central Highlands regions reported yesterday that over 3,400 tonnes of rice seeds and more than 18,000 tonnes of sugarcane, bean, cassava, ground nut and vegetable saplings have been delivered to worst-hit provinces from Thừa Thiên-Huế to Ninh Thuận.

More than 111,000 grafted roots of grape and apples were also sent to Ninh Thuận Province.

Rescue forces transported 17,000 sand bags and 23,000 water purification tablets to the region.

Seven speedboats, 70 portable tents, 500 life-jackets and 10,000 life buoys were also delivered to Bình Định Province.

The centre also said nearly 6,000 households in Bình Định Province have returned to their homes safely after being evacuated last week.

Water levels in rivers flowing through provinces from Thừa Thiên-Huế to Bình Định have been under the emergency level 2 as of early morning yesterday, and receding 12 hours later.

A rainfall of between 31-35mm is forecast for Bình Định Province and some provinces in the region.

However, the centre still cautioned that rough seas and whirlwinds would occur in the seas of south central region, south of East Sea, and waters off  the Trường Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

National utility EVN, Việt Nam Electricity Group, said 46 reservoirs out of 148 in the region were still discharging water.  

Rescue and repair work has been stepped up in the affected provinces since Saturday.

The latest figures are that 24 people have died, 16 of them in Bình Định. Another 16 were badly wounded and two persons still missing.

Flood also damaged nearly 100km of canals and dyke sections, 400m of national roads, eroded more than 388,000 cubic metres of soil.

Eighty-five bridges, spillways and sewage systems were destroyed. — VNS