Myanmar battles Yagi floods as Vietnam begins clear-up

PYINMANA, Myanmar: Hundreds of villagers in Myanmar waded or swam through chin-high waters, fleeing severe floods around the remote capital Naypyidaw on Friday, while Vietnam began clearing up after deadly Typhoon Yagi.

People in parts of Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar have been battling floods and landslides in the wake of Typhoon Yagi, which dumped a colossal deluge of rain when it hit the region last weekend.

The overall death toll across the four countries stands at nearly 300, including 233 in Vietnam, but with many people missing it is expected to rise.

More than 235,000 people have been forced from their homes in Myanmar, the junta said Friday, piling further misery on the country hit by conflict since the military seized power in 2021.

Authorities were investigating unconfirmed reports that dozens of migrant workers were missing following landslides in a gold mining area in central Mandalay region, junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun said.

The junta gave a death toll Friday of 33, while earlier in the day the country´s fire department said rescuers had recovered 36 bodies.