ENGLISH DEYEA NEWS

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | HANOI — Disaster officials said floods triggered by heavy rains have killed 16 people in central Vietnam this week, including five children.

The storms swept across the central provinces of Quang Ngai, Ha Tinh and Nghe An from Monday to Friday, inundating homes.

Nguyen Duc Duong, a provincial disaster official in Nghe An, said four students aged 8 to 12 were among the dead. They were swept away while walking home from school.

Bui Duc Thai, an official in Quang Ngai, said three people were killed in the town, including a 2-year-old boy.

Officials said on Friday that the rains in central provinces had begun to ease.

In Hanoi in the north, heavy rains flooded streets on Friday, but no deaths were reported.

Vietnam is prone to floods, which kill hundreds each year.