Hanoi (TDI): The death toll from Typhoon Bualoi and the flooding it unleashed in Vietnam has risen to 51, according to a government report released Friday, as authorities urged banks to ease financial pressures on businesses in affected areas.
The powerful storm came ashore on Monday in northern central Vietnam, bringing towering waves, heavy rains and strong winds.
Fourteen people remain missing, while 164 others were reported injured, the country’s disaster management agency said.
The government also revised its damage estimate upward to 15.9 trillion dong ($603 million), compared with $435.8 million in an earlier assessment on Thursday.
Read More: At Least 8 Dead, 17 Missing as Typhoon Bualoi Hits Vietnam
The typhoon caused widespread destruction, tearing through schools, offices and roads, while also knocking out power lines and leaving tens of thousands of households without electricity.
More than 230,000 homes were damaged or submerged, and nearly 89,000 hectares of crops, mainly rice, were destroyed, the agency reported.
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Despite the extensive losses, the report noted no major damage to industrial facilities. The affected region is home to several large factories, including those operated by Foxconn, Formosa Plastics, Luxshare and VinFast.
In response, the State Bank of Vietnam has instructed lenders to consider loan restructuring or temporary freezes for businesses hit by the storm, Deputy Governor Pham Thanh Ha said Friday.
