"The death toll that we have compiled until Tuesday is 45," an official of the national flood and storm committee in Hanoi told AFP.

He said the flooding had also caused around 20 million dollars of damage.

Tens of thousands of hectares (acres) of paddy fields were destroyed and hundreds of houses have collapsed in affected areas.

"Rains have ceased in several areas of the central region," he said, adding that more flooding was expected next week.

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