A total of 1,057 natural disasters hit Vietnam in 2022, leaving 175 persons dead and missing, local media cited the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority as reported on Wednesday.

The disasters caused economic losses of some 19.5 trillion Vietnamese dong (825.85 million U.S. dollars) last year, the local newspaper Vietnam News reported.

The human and economic losses were 1.6 times and 3.4 times the figures in 202.

The country was forecast to have fewer storms and tropical depressions in 2023 than in previous years, the Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration says.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Le Minh Hoan, said to reduce risks and damage, authorities should develop appropriate strategies and warning maps and perform forest protection.

And also control investment in construction projects for climate change.

To improve forecasting, the hydro-meteorological sector has extended the time limit for weather forecasting and warning for natural disasters to 10 days, he said.