By 7 pm on September 28, at least 41 people were reported dead, five missing and 61 injured in five northern provinces of Bac Giang, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Son La and Vinh Phuc.

The floodwaters swept away and submerged around 11,300 houses, destroyed nearly 20,000 hectares of rice and many national highways, provincial roads, seriously damaged bridges and irrigation projects. Total material losses is estimated at more than VND1,000 billion.

On behalf of the Government, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung extended his deep sympathy to the families of the dead and injured.

He asked relevant agencies and local authorities to enhance rescue and search activities and to provide sufficient supplies of food to those in isolated areas to ensure no one is left hungry.

The Government leader asked localities to supply safe drinking water, quickly restore the system of transport, electricity, schools and healthcare centres to help local people stabilise their lives soon and prevent any possible outbreak of diseases in the flood-hit areas.

It is imperative for all localities to draw lessons in flood and storm control from tropical storm Hagiput and brace themselves for another tropical storm Mekhhala which is developing on the East Sea and expected to bring heavy rain to the central region in the coming days, Mr Dung stressed.

The same day, cabinet members gave opinions on draft laws on housing and State employees.

On September 30, they will hear reports on the socio-economic development situation over the past nine months and discuss control measures for the last quarter of this year.