Vietnamese authorities said 37 people have died from floods and landslides caused by heavy rain, the BBC reported Thursday.

Another 40 are missing, and thousands have been evacuated from their homes, as a tropical depression sweeps across northern and central Vietnam.

Among the missing is a local journalist reporting on the floods, who was swept away after a river bridge collapsed.

The South East Asian country often experiences severe storms, and sees several deaths every year from floods.

The latest bout began on Monday, and weather officials have warned that the tropical depression may intensify into a more powerful storm in coming days. 

Source: MENA