BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem on Thursday sent messages of sympathy and concern to China over the recent snow havoc in southern parts of the country.

    In his message to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Nguyen Tan Dung expressed his concern and sympathy to the Chinese people affected by the snow storm on behalf of the Vietnamese government and people.

    The Vietnamese prime minister also expressed the belief that the Chinese people in the snow-stricken regions will be able to overcome the disaster and resume normal life soon under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and the government.

    In his message to his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi, Pham GiaKhiem also expressed his sympathy to the Chinese people in the snow-stricken areas.

    The worst winter weather in five decades in China has snarled the country's central, southern and eastern regions over the past three weeks and brought huge economic losses.

    Statistics show that the snowfalls have so far killed at least 60 people and forced the evacuation of nearly 1.76 million people. From Jan. 25 to 31, a total of 5.8 million passengers were stranded throughout the railway network and more than 8,000 cargo trains were affected.