Viet Nam: Natural disasters kill 218, cost VN $860m
Natural disasters have killed 218 people and caused a total loss of VNĐ20 trillion (US$860 million) to the country this year.
Although the number of fatalities and damage was much lower than both in 2016 and 2017, natural disasters have still caused serious destruction to the country this year.
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Speaking at [a meeting to summarise the achievements and failures of natural disaster management this year as well as to set tasks for next year], deputy head of the committee’s Việt Nam Disaster Management Authority, Nguyễn Trường Sơn, said 13 typhoons, 14 flash floods, four extreme cold spells, 11 heat waves and 30 torrential rain storms along with a series of high tides in southern provinces had been recorded this year.
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Sơn said although the authority had applied high-tech forecasting technology, shortcomings remained.
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However, Sơn added forecasting of torrential rains, flash floods and landslides was still not up to scratch.
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