New York, NY (BBN) – United Nations humanitarian and development officials are monitoring the situation in the mountains of northern Viet Nam.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the UN Development Program (UNDP) have received reports from national authorities that at least 97 people are confirmed dead, 48 others are missing and 38 people have been injured, according to a UN press statement.

The UN agencies also they were in close contact with Vietnamese authorities about the situation to determine if UN assistance is needed.

More than 4,500 homes were destroyed or partially damaged yesterday by the floods that followed Tropical Storm Kammuri, and nearly 9,000 hectares of paddy fields and crops have been wiped out.

Vietnamese meteorological officials have warned that more rains are expected, increasing the threat of floods and landslides, particularly in the provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai and Phu Tho.

BBN/SI/SI/AD-12August08-9:24AM