Emergency relief pouring into flood-stricken Vietnam's central region

	Quang Tri: Explosive ordnance exposed after recent torrential rains
	Plan International provides aid for flood-hit residents in Quang Binh
	Expats in Laos hold requiem for flood victims in central Vietnam

Humanitarian assistance are meeting the needs of the most vulnerable people in flood-affected areas. Source: Zing

Vietnam has recently been hit by four typhoons resulting in significant flooding, landslides and damage to infrastructure. In central Vietnam, over 1.3 million people have been severely affected, nearly 300,000 houses submerged and significant disruption which had already been impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.

According to the Central Steering Committee on Disaster Prevention and Control, floods have so far left 119 dead, 21 missing and hundreds of others injured, including 36 officers and soldiers who lost their lives while supporting people hit by flooding in Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Tri.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator and the Country Director of Save the Children on behalf of the Disaster Management Group have issued the 2020 Vietnam flood response plan to raise USD 40 million to provide assistance for 177,000 of the most vulnerable flood-affected people hard hit in the central region.

The plan covers six months to address immediate humanitarian needs and carry out several early recovery activities.

Conducted by the Government, UN agencies and foreign non-governmental organisations, a joint assessment in the five most affected provinces, namely Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai, identified the need to provide multi-sectoral assistance for 177,000 of the most vulnerable people in affected areas.

An estimated 153,000 children are also at risk of discontinued learning due to damaged schools and in need for emergency education supplies, including hygiene supplies and learning devices.

Humanitarian support is also required in evacuation sites that currently do not have enough supplies to meet basic needs, including access to clean water and sanitation facilities, putting people at risk of sickness and disease.

Vietnamese expats in the Czech Republic join a fundraising campaign for flood victims in Vietnam's central region. Photo: VNA

On November 3, the UK also announced a contribution of EUR 500,000 (USD 585.960) to help those impacted by the recent flooding in Vietnam, the worst in the region in over 20 years.

The EUR 500,000 of UK aid will be going to the International Federation of Red Cross through the British Red Cross Society and help scale up activities to provide shelter, clean water, food and support livelihoods to up to 160,000 affected in Vietnam.

The aid is announced as part of a EUR 1 million UK aid package to Vietnam and the Philippines, which has also been impacted severely by recent typhoons and flooding.

Announcing the package, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Minister for Asia Nigel Adams said: "The typhoons that have hit the Philippines and Vietnam have had a devastating impact on lives and livelihoods across the region. Today’s £1 million UK aid package will help to deliver life- saving food, clean water and safe shelter to those who need it most and help both the Philippines and Vietnam recover from such destructive natural disasters."

British Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward further shared: "The impacts of this year’s typhoon season have been devastating. On behalf of the UK, I send my condolences to the people of Central Vietnam for the tragic loss of life and the large-scale destruction of property. The financial aid announced today by my Government will enable local agencies to assist the affected communities to recover, in support of the Vietnamese Government response. We stand together with the Vietnamese people to overcome the challenges of this difficult time."

Elsewhere, Vietnamese in the Czech Republic, Poland and Ukraine have offered support for flood victims in the central region. The Vietnamese association in the Czech Republic handed over more than VND1.6 billion to seven central localities.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese community in Poland raised over VND 1.3 billion (USD 56,164) during a campaign to help affected people in overcoming flood consequences.

The Embassy of Vietnam in Ukraine joined hands with Vietnamese associations in the country to launch a fundraising campaign to support flood-hit residents. Nearly USD 17,430 was raised after 11 days of the campaign./.

A dreary Hoi An after the strike of storm Molave The old town of Hoi An was drained with floodwater. Along the street, shops were closed and trees were rooted, all due to storm Molave.

Vietnamese tourism enterprises incur double losses due to COVID-19 and floods The COVID-19 pandemic along with successive floods and storms in central Vietnam recently exert impacts on a series of tourism enterprises in Vietnam.

Overseas Vietnamese communities continue supporting flood victims The overseas Vietnamese communities has held many meaningful and practical activities to support the people in the Central region of Vietnam.