HANOI, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Tropical storm Mirinae killed 31 people after ploughing into central Vietnam this week and another 21 are missing, state media reported on Wednesday.

Rain and wind from the storm temporarily delayed coffee harvesting in parts of the Central Highlands coffee belt, but residents there said on Tuesday things were returning to normal.

The storm destroyed 154 houses, damaged 2,500 others and inundated about 1,800 hectares (4,450 acres) of crop land, the Vietnam News said.

Photos from the south-central provinces of Phu Yen and Binh Dinh in the newspaper Tuoi Tre showed streets flooded to near the top of house doors. One showed people lifting an elderly woman out of her home through an opening in the roof tiles. (Reporting by John Ruwitch; Editing by Alan Raybould)