Natural disasters in the first nine months of this year left 229 people dead or missing and 355 others injured, and caused damage totalling VND3.2 trillion (US$154 million), the General Statistics Office has announced.

According to the initial report, 2,200 houses were destroyed, 53,700 others had damaged roofs, 38,700 ha of rice and 8,500 ha of crops were obliterated and almost 145,000 ha of rice and 29,600 ha of crops submerged.

Nghe An was the hardest hit province with 12 people killed or missing and 19,000 ha of rice and crops ruined, suffering total losses of VND850 billion ($41 million), 27 percent of all the damage caused in the country.

The Government, organizations and the public have raised more than VND7.8 billion ($375,000) to help the victims.