People in Le Thuy district, Quang Binh province, clean up after flood water recedes. (Photo: PLO.VN)

According to the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control, as of Sunday evening there were 130 dead and 18 missing after 3 weeks of historic floods in Vietnam’s central region. Thousands of houses have been damaged, tens of thousands of hectares of crops have been destroyed, and countless cattle have been swept away.

Typhoon Molave, the strongest so far this year, is predicted to cause winds in the East Sea strong enough to sink ships. It is forecast to make landfall in Quand Nam, Quang Ngai, and Binh Dinh province on Wednesday.

Authorities have asked coastal provinces and cities to stay up-to-date to ensure the safety of ships and aquaculture facilities, and be ready for possible evacuation.