Hanoi, Oct. 10 -- Flooding triggered by torrential rains following Storm Matmo has caused extensive damage across northern localities, leaving 18 people dead or missing, hundreds of thousands of homes inundated, and infrastructure severely damaged.

As of 5:30 pm on October 10, preliminary reports from the affected localities estimated total losses at more than 5.45 trillion VND (about 207 million USD). Thai Nguyen province suffered the heaviest damage at around 2.4 trillion VND, followed by Cao Bang with 2 trillion VND and Lang Son with 1.05 trillion VND, according to the Disaster and Dyke Management Authority under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

Downpour submerged over 230,000 houses, with Thai Nguyen accounting for the m...