The death toll in Vietnam from Typhoon Xangsane rose Wednesday to 52 with another seven people missing, officials said, as the clean-up operation swung into full gear. State media said most of them were electrocuted or had been killed by fallen trees or collapsed houses. Although the typhoon has moved on since slamming into central Vietnam early Sunday, officials said they were still worried about floods and landslides as rains remained very heavy in some areas.
Central Highlands provinces, along the Laos border, have been ordered "to immediately evacuate people from lowland areas close to rivers and streams due to the imminent danger of landslides," the English-language Vietnam News said Wednesday.
The national committee on flood and storm control said on its website that 42 people were reported dead in six different central provinces and seven were missing.
However, tolls provided to AFP by provincial rescue officials took the toll to 52.
Four deaths reported by officials in Thua Thien-Hue and six in Ha Tinh were not yet included in the national list.
"The four included two children swept away by the floods after they brought food to their grandparents," said Phan Thanh Hung, head of the Thua Thien-Hue provincial flood and storm control committee.
Hundreds of thousands of houses were wrecked when the powerful storm struck the country. Several provinces have been flooded for four days with overflown wells and no electricity.
Some 500 people were injured in the storm, according to latest reports.
Typhoon Xangsane earlier killed more than 200 people in the Philippines. At least 22 others there were still listed as missing.
