At least 14 military staff dead and 8 missing in Viet landslide

Vietnamese military staff searching for missing soldiers after a mudslide hit the barracks of a unit of the country's 4th Military Region in the central province of Quang Tri yesterday. The disaster management authority has warned of further flooding
Vietnamese military staff searching for missing soldiers after a mudslide hit the barracks of a unit of the country's 4th Military Region in the central province of Quang Tri yesterday. The disaster management authority has warned of further flooding and landslides. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

HANOI • A landslide early yesterday killed at least 14 military personnel and left eight missing in central Vietnam, the government said, in what could be the country's largest military loss in peace time as it battles major flooding.

The mudslide hit the barracks of a unit of Vietnam's 4th Military Region in the central province of Quang Tri, the government said in a statement on its website.

It occurred days after another landslide killed 13 people, mostly soldiers, in the neighbouring province of Thua Thien Hue.

"We had another sleepless night," an emotional Deputy Defence Minister Phan Van Giang told reporters yesterday.

The government said later that 14 bodies had been recovered and eight others remained missing.

"We've never lost so many military members, including two generals and high-ranking officials, in natural disasters," the government said on Facebook.

Heavy rain has pounded the region for more than a week and at least 64 people have been killed in floods and landslides, according to Vietnam's disaster management authority, with concerns mounting that waters could rise further.

River levels in Quang Tri had reached their highest in two decades, state media said. The disaster management authority raised its risk alert warning to the second-highest level yesterday, warning of further flooding and landslides.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 19, 2020, with the headline At least 14 military staff dead and 8 missing in Viet landslide. Subscribe