HANOI, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Typhoon Durian in Vietnam had killed 50 people and left 55 others missing by Tuesday night, local newspaper Youth reported Wednesday.

    The typhoon, which started to hit Vietnam's central region on Monday night and then swept through its southern region, also injured 409 people, of whom 164 were seriously injured, damaged 119,314 houses, and caused 888 ships and boats to sink, the newspaper quoted the Central Steering Committee on Storm and Flood Prevention as reporting.

    Durian killed 28 people and left 16 others missing in southern Ba Ria Vung Tau province. The respective figures were 17 and one in southern Ben Tre province, and two and 26 in southern Tien Giang province.

    The main reason of high fatalities and injury rates was the subjectivity of local people and inexperience in dealing with typhoon of local authorities. Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung criticized leaders of Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Ba Ria Vung Tau and central Binh Thuan province for their poor anti-typhoon activities, the newspaper said.

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