15 killed in downpour in Vietnam

Hanoi, July 29: Heavy rains have killed 15 people while seven people have gone missing in Vietnam, media reports said on Wednesday.

The casualties were reported from northeastern Quang Ninh province which has seen a downpour for the past few days, Xinhua reported.

The province's hydro-meteorological station said rainfall was measured at 828 mm at several places, said Vietnam's state-run news agency.

The downpour, which started on July 26 in Quang Ninh, some 120 km east of capital Hanoi, has caused total damage of around $46 million.

The heavy rains also left about 1,600 tourists stranded on two islands in the province.

Authorities said heavy rain is expected to continue till August 3, leading to high possibility of flash floods and landslides.