Tens of thousands of homes have been submerged and thousands of hectares of crops washed away, while the main north-south highway remained cut in some sections as a result of the heavy rains that began last Tuesday.

An official from the Flood and Storm Control Department for the central provinces said 17 people had died in Quang Ngai, the worst affected province.

Thirteen people also perished in Binh Dinh, three in Quang Tri, three in Quang Nam, two in Phu Yen and another person in Thua Thien-Hue.

"Some of the people died after being swept away by the floodwaters, others died after their boats capsized or after they were caught up in landslides," the official said.

In Quang Ngai, 183 houses were destroyed and nearly 52,000 submerged while more than 3,000 hectares of rice and other crops were washed away, he said.

Material losses in the province have been estimated at 5.3 million dollars, while damages in neighbouring Binh Dinh, where 5,400 homes were submerged and 7,500 hectares of crops destroyed, have been put at 6.2 million dollars.

Nearly 40,000 people in the region have been evacuated to higher ground, according to state media.

Floodwaters have begun receding but light rain was reported Monday in some areas of the affected coastal provinces.

Meanwhile, the historic trading town of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Southeast Asia's major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, escaped the worst of the floods.

The town, located in Quang Nam province, is prone to flooding at this time of year, but local officials said preparations to minimise the damage had paid off. No houses were destroyed over the past week, although 70 hectares of crops were washed away, according to a Hoi An flood control official.

TERRA.WIRE