Death toll from storms in Vietnam rises to 197

The number of people killed after Typhoon Yagi swept through northern Vietnam bringing flash floods and landslides has risen to 197, the government said Thursday.

About 128 people are still missing and more than 250,000 hectares of crops have also been destroyed, disaster officials under the ministry of agriculture said in an official report.

Yagi is the most powerful typhoon to hit northern Vietnam in 30 years, according to meteorologists.

The storm downed bridges, tore roofs off buildings and damaged factories after making landfall on Saturday carrying winds in excess of 149 kilometres (92 miles) per hour.

The north of the country has since been battling severe flooding, with several communities partially underwater. Thousands have been forced to evacuate their homes, while others are struggling with power cuts.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has decided to allocate 100 billion Vietnamese dong (about 4 million US dollars) from this year's central budget reserve to the 5 provinces affected by the typhoon.