HANOI, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- A landslide triggered by prolonged downpours has left three military personnel dead and 19 missing in central Vietnam's Quang Tri Province on Sunday, Vietnam News Agency reported.
The incident occurred early Sunday when the landslide engulfed a military base in Quang Tri's Huong Hoa mountainous district.
Three bodies had been found as of 10 a.m. local time, according to the news agency, with further search and rescue underway.
Earlier this week, 13 members of a rescue team were buried in a landslide while trying to approach other victims of natural disasters in central Thua Thien Hue Province.
Since Oct. 6, natural disasters triggered by downpours and Typhoon Nangka have left 68 dead and 21 others missing in northern, central and central highlands regions of Vietnam, the country's Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said Sunday.
During an urgent meeting held on Sunday, the committee issued a level-four alert, the second highest level of warning, over the risks of natural disasters caused by floods, flash floods, and landslides in the central.
Heavy rains are expected to hit central localities until Wednesday, with rainfall ranging between 400 to 600 mm, and over 700 mm in some areas, with high risks of floods, flash floods and inundation, Vietnam News Agency cited the country's National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting as reporting.
After the period, localities in the central region may still face prolonged rains, according to the forecasting center.
