HANOI (Reuters) – Landslides triggered by torrential rains in mountainous northern Vietnam buried a 16-seater van, killing at least 11 people and leaving some missing on Saturday, state media reported.
Rescue teams including soldiers and citizens Ha Giang province had found 11 people dead and four injured, state-run Vietnam News Agency reported.
Local authorities said the exact number of people in the van was not known and the aftermath of the heavy rains was complicating search and rescue efforts, the report said.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urgently instructed local authorities and related government agencies to promptly deal with the disaster and stand ready to respond to more floods and landslides.
Around 280 mm (11 inches) of rain had hit the area over the past 24 hours, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. The agency warned of flash floods, landslides due to floods or currents in the Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang and Yen Bai provinces.
Vietnam is prone to natural disasters, with floods and typhoons killing hundreds each year. Natural calamities killed 389 people and injured 668 last year, according to the government.
(Reporting by Phuong Nguyen; Editing by William Mallard)
