The figure is contained in an official dispatch issued Wednesday by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, in which he asked ministries, branches and localities to focus on responding to the risks of heavy rains, landslides and flash floods and proactively prevent natural disasters in the future.

According to the document, as a consequence of these phenomena, during the course of this year, 67 houses collapsed and more than 2,300 homes suffered the loss or considerable damage to their roofs.

This month, the communication notes, there have been many heavy rains (especially the historical rainfall in Ha Tinh province), which have caused landslides and floods in some localities, “causing damage to people and property, and greatly affecting production and people’s lives”.

Based on weather forecasts, this situation should last until May 30 and affect the Northern, North Central, Central Highlands and Southern regions of the country. jrr/jav/mem/mpm