HANOI, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Typhoon Xangsane, which began its strike on Vietnam's central region early Sunday morning, has killed six people and injured over 130 others by 4 p.m. Sunday.

    The typhoon, the sixth one striking Vietnam this year, also damaged 5,500 houses and uprooted thousands of trees in the four central coastal localities of Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai, according to the country's Central Anti-Flood and Storm Committee.

    Most of the victims got killed or injured when their houses collapsed or trees fell onto them. Four dead people and over 110 injured ones are from Da Nang, the first locality hit by the typhoon.

    Now, there are blackouts in many areas in the four localities. Some hospitals have resorted to standby power sources, the committee said.

    Many road sections going through the central region have been damaged, causing several trains to temporarily stop going further. Vietnam Airlines, the country's flag carrier, has recently announced that it would cancel all domestic flights from and to DaNang, Thua Thien Hue and Khanh Hoa province's Nha Trang city on Sunday. It also canceled flights between Hanoi capital and southern Ho Chi Minh City in the morning and at noon.

    Now, water levels in all rivers in the central region are still increasing, making hundreds of people in some areas to be isolated from others, the committee said. Enditem

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