Torrential rain in Vietnam has flooded the northern area of the country, leaving at least 17 dead and inundating thousands of homes.

The rain, which started on 26 July, is reportedly the heaviest the province has experienced in forty years.

Particularly affected is the Quang Ninh Province on Vietnam's north coast, with cities including Halong, Cam Pha, Uong Bi, Dong Trieu, Van Don and Hoanh Bo all experiencing flooding.

In some areas the flood waters have reached 2 metres in height, prompting rescue efforts to evacuate hundreds of residents to safe locations. It is estimated that more than 3000 homes have been affected by the floods.

The flood waters have made access to some locations difficult, as many roads have been inundated and the heavy rain has caused landslides in the mountainous areas of the province. These landslides damaged dozens of homes.

Weather forecasts currently estimate that the rain will continue into the first week of August, potentially causing further flooding and landslides.