At least 54 people died and 39 went missing as destructive floods battered northern and central Vietnam this week. <br/><br/>The disaster prevention agency today said nineteen people from four neighbouring households in Hoa Binh were buried alive after a landslide struck around midnight on Wednesday, but only nine bodies have been found. <br/><br/>Some 317 houses have collapsed in floods and landslides this week, while more than 34,000 other houses have been submerged or damaged.