Forty-eight people die in Vietnamese flooding

In central Vietnam authorities discovered 13 people who died in recent flooding. Thus the death toll after the flood rises to 48.

Photo: Forty-eight people die in Vietnamese flooding

Rescuers found nine bodies in the hardest-hit province of Quang Nam , bringing the death toll there to 23 since the rains began Saturday, said provincial disaster official Nguyen Van Phuc. Four other bodies were recovered in three other central provinces, officials said.

"Our top priority now is to provide food aid, clean water and medicine to the victims," Phuc said.

Authorities were delivering 1,500 tons of rice and 15 tons of instant noodles to people affected by the floods as the waters have largely receded, he said.

At least 99 people have died this month from flood-related incidents and a total of 240 since early October.

Light rains were reported in the central region Friday, but the national weather center forecast more heavy rains next week that could trigger more floods.

More than 375,000 houses were submerged in the central region following last weekend's floods, according to the national flood and storm control department.

Vietnam is prone to floods and typhoons, which kill hundreds of people each year.