Typhoon Damrey has claimed 20 human lives and left 17 people missing after hitting Vietnam's central region on Saturday morning, the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said here on Saturday evening.
The dead victims included 12 in central Khanh Hoa province, and the 17 missing are crew members of seven transport ships which sank during strong winds and high waves.
The typhoon also destroyed over 500 houses, and blew away roofs of around 23,000 others.
Damrey also caused landslides in central Binh Dinh province and Quang Nam province, blocking road and rail transport on some national road sections.
On Saturday afternoon, medium-voltage grids in Khanh Hoa and central Phu Yen were damaged, causing blackouts.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered people and vehicle mobilization to seek the missing people, and instructed Damrey-hit provinces to overcome the typhoon's aftermaths.
Fairly strong winds on Saturday morning destroyed or damaged several welcome gates and billboards on the key roads along My Son beach in central Da Nang city, which will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Week from Nov 6-11.
According to the Da Nang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the municipal authorities have put forth three scenarios in which the city will have to respond to the typhoon, floods and high waves, even tsunamis to help ensure safety and security of the APEC week with the participation of some 10,000 delegates, 2,000 chief executive officers, and 3,000 reporters.
