HANOI, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Typhoon Durian, hitting Vietnam's central region since Monday night, has killed 40 local people and injured over 700 others in the central and southern regions, according to provincial steering committees on storm and flood prevention Tuesday.

    The typhoon, the 9th one striking Vietnam this year, has killed 18 people, left 11 missing, injured over 300, and damaged hundreds of houses in southern Ba Ria Vung Tau province, according to the provincial Steering Committee on Storm and Flood Prevention.

    It has claimed 17 lives, injured more than 400 people, destroyed over 4,000 houses, damaged roofs of 33,000 other houses, and disrupted electricity and communications systems in southern Ben Tre province, according to the provincial Steering Committee on Storm and Flood Prevention.

    The typhoon also has killed four people in central Binh Thuan province, three in central Phu Yen province, and one in southern Tien Giang. Binh Thuan province was the first locality hit by it.

    The typhoon is forecast to sweep through some localities in the southern Mekong Delta, which are inexperienced in combating typhoons, on Tuesday night.

    Vietnam has evacuated tens of thousands of people from the two regions. The Vietnamese government has required relevant localities and agencies to update information about the typhoon, mobilize rescue forces, and call for ships and boats in affected areas to shore.

    In early October, typhoon Xangsane killed or left missing 76 people, and injured 532 others in Vietnam.