[vnforum] Vietnamese floods threaten major cities

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Vietnamese floods threaten major cities
WebPosted Sun Oct 15 10:23:00 2000
HANOI - The worst floods to hit Vietnam in 40 years have reached the capital
city as well as the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City in the north and Danang on
the central coast.

Families in townships around Ho Chi Minh City have moved to higher ground.
Others rushed to fill sandbags and build dykes.

If torrential rains continue, Ho Chi Minh City will be in danger of being
flooded itself. Ho Chi Minh is Vietnam's biggest city with almost six million
people.

The heavy rains have swelled waters in the Mekong delta that is bursting its
banks. Authorities fear a repeat of the catastrophic flash floods in November
1999.

About 350 people have drowned in the southern provinces alone – 248 of them
were children.

Up to five million people have been affected by the floods in the Delta in the
past month and hundreds of thousands have been forced to leave their homes.

The floods have hurt farmers who produce sugar cane, pepper, vegetables and
fruits. Waters in the Delta are not expected to drop fully before late November
and will delay planting of the next rice crop.

While water levels have receded in upstream parts of the Mekong River, high
tides have stopped flood waters from draining out to sea.

Vietnam has made an unprecedented plea for international help. The United
Nations said more than $4 million in aid has already been pledged, and said it
would seek $10 million more in international aid.

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