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ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this Monday, Nov. 18, 2013 photo, small boats are used to ferry school children and people through floodwaters in Quang Dien District, Thua Thien Hue province in central Vietnam. Several dozen people have died from flooding caused by heavy rains in central Vietnam, with about 80,000 people forced from their homes, disaster officials said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Vietnam News Agency, Quoc Viet)
HANOI, Vietnam >> The death toll from flooding caused by heavy rains in central Vietnam has risen to 41, with about 80,000 people forced from their homes, disaster officials said Tuesday.
The National Floods and Storms Control Agency said in a statement that the floods had affected more than 400,000 houses, but added the flood waters have mostly receded, allowing many residents to return home. The heavy rains began Nov. 14.
The officials said the deaths occurred in six central provinces. Binh Dinh was the worst-hit province with 18 people dead. Another five people are missing.
The floods also injured 74 people and damaged 10,625 acres of rice paddies and other crops, the agency said.
Vietnam is prone to floods and storms, with hundreds of people killed each year.
