Fresh flooding in Vietnam has left 12 people dead and two missing, taking the number killed by flood waters since October to 179, officials said Wednesday.

In the third wave of flooding in around six weeks, 37,000 houses were waterlogged or damaged and nearly 10,000 people were evacuated in central Vietnam, according to the national flood and storm control department.

Thua Thien Hue, site of the country's ancient imperial city, reported four deaths and is among five provinces to have been hit by the most recent rising waters.

Two bouts of flooding in October killed 167 people across central provinces, one of the poorest areas of Vietnam.

The country regularly suffers from tropical storms and flooding at this time of year.