Floods Kill At Least 24 In Central Vietnam

Monday, November 5th 2007, 7:22 am

By: News On 6

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) _ Floods triggered by heavy rains have killed at least 24 people in central Vietnam as residents braced Monday for a tropical storm expected to make landfall later this week.

People in seven coastal areas fell victim to the latest floods, which began Friday. The floods were the third to hit the region in three weeks.

Officials fear more trouble from Tropical Storm Peipah, which is expected to hit Vietnam Friday. Officials in the northern Philippines said the storm already killed five people there Monday. Peipah's 65 mph winds struck the Philippines Sunday evening and moved into South China Sea, forecasters said.

In addition to leaving 24 people dead and at least one missing, the Vietnam flooding cut telephone service to many communities, said provincial disaster official Dang Tao.

``The last two floods already caused a lot of hardship,'' disaster official Vo Thanh Tien said. ``Now another one is coming.''

Hoi An Mayor Le Van Giang said about 300 houses in his city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were flooded in about three feet of water.

``We are seriously concerned, as these old houses are the soul of Hoi An,'' Giang said. ``If they are ruined Hoi An will not be Hoi An anymore.''

Last month, Typhoon Lekima left 88 people dead in Vietnam.