Typhoons cause $300 mn loss in Vietnam

Hanoi, Aug 9 (IANS) The two typhoons that hit Vietnam this year have caused damages worth more than 6 trillion Vietnamese dong (about $300 million), the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development (MARD) said on Tuesday.

Typhoons Mirinae and Nida hit the country in July and August, leaving 20 persons dead 82 others injured, Xinhua news agency cited the ministry as saying.

Typhoon Mirinae flooded nearly 256,000 hectares of agricultural land in the affected localities, whereas more than 31,000 power poles fell across affected localities, causing power disruption.

Damages to the electricity sector were estimated at about 384 billion Vietnamese dong ($17 million), according to MARD.

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said the main reason for huge losses were shortcomings in weather forecasting.

The disaster forecasting needs improvement, both in equipment as well as personnel training. Meanwhile, international cooperation should also be strengthened for more reliable forecasts, MARD Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong said.