Vietnam Death Toll In Wake Of Tropical Storm Mirinae Reaches 98, Likely To Rise

November 5, 2009 11:53 a.m. EST

Hanoi, Vietnam (AHN) - Vietnam officials say the death from Tropical Storm Mirinae has now risen to 98 with numbers likely to rise. According to the country's Steering Committee for Storm and Flood Control most people were killed by flash floods, landslides, collapsing houses or falling trees.

Meteorologist say the storm battered the western region of the country with 82 mph winds and nearly 15 inches of rain when it arrived on shore Monday morning. In its direct line of path were the central provinces of Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai and Khanh Hoa.

Further adding to the death toll is the fact that in the country's central region's mountainous areas flood waters rose so fast many people did not have time to escape. Currently more than 4,000 troops in amphibious vehicles and helicopters are undertaking search and rescue operations as a result of the storm's deluge.

Over 4,000 passengers were forced to remain on board several trains that could not traverse past the town of Tuy Hoa in Phu Yen because of high water. Train tracks aren't the only thing underwater entire cities have had their streets filled after rivers crested their banks.

National authorities are reporting 94 fishing boats sunk at their wharves and 754 houses were destroyed. Further devastating the region economically are the more than 17,000 hectares of rice and 2,300 hectares of vegetables that were destroyed or flooded. By Tuesday morning, the storm weakened to a tropical low pressure zone and was heading west as wind gusts began to diminish.

Mirinae first slammed into the Philippines with typhoon strength over the weekend. Officials say the death toll for the island nation was 20. However, the storm began losing strength as it moved across the South China Sea toward Vietnam.