The Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association of Vientiane donated 77 tonnes of rice and clothes worth 500 million Laotian Kip (US$60,000) to six central provinces hit by typhoon Damrey last year at a ceremony in the city yesterday.

Chairman of the association, Anouphap Tounalon, said the donation was a friendly gesture to promote ties between the two nations.

The rice will go to typhoon victims in Quang Tri, Thua Thien - Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh.

Chairman of the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association of Vientiane, Anouphap Tounalon (left),donates 77 tonnes of rice and clothes to central Vietnamese provinces hit by typhoon Damrey. (source: VNA)

Typhoon Damrey, the twelfth major storm in the East Sea to hit Vietnam's south-central coast last year claimed 89 lives and left 18 missing and 174 others injured in central and Central Highlands localities.

The central city of Da Nang has built relationships with Lao provinces, including Vientiane, Savannakhet, Champasak, Sekong, Salavan, Attapu, Bolikhamsay and Xaynhaburi and signed assistance projects worth a total of $2 million from 2013 to 2017.

Da Nang has also trained more than 700 students from Laos./.

( VNF/VNA )