Flash Floods in Vietnam Claim Lives & Put Thousands in Need of Shelter, Food & Clean Water
In August, tropical storm Kammuri triggered flash floods in the mountainous provinces of northern Vietnam. Our contacts observing both the impact of the flood and the aid response wrote the following update, and Give2Asia has established a Kammuri Storm Flood Fund for anyone wishing to provide funds in support of families affected by the flash flooding.
Flash floods that swept through several northern mountainous provinces like Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho, and Bac Kan during the second week of August 2008 are the worst floods in the Red River Delta in 22 years, with river waters peaking on Sunday at close to record levels set in 1971.At least 129 people have been killed after days of heavy rains triggered by the remnants of Kammuri storm. Another 32 are missing, and 89 are injured. Lao Cai reported the highest death toll with 49 dead and 30 missing. Yen Bai ranked second with 41 dead. Flash floods accompanied by landslides have collapsed or swept away to nearly 800 houses and 220 bridges and sewers. Approximately 18 thousands homes and more than 15,200 hectares of crops were destroyed. More than 495 thousand cubes of displaced soil and rock blocked main transportation routes in the area for several days. In addition, 359 small irrigational works were damaged and more than 6.6 km of drainage canal will require restoration to bring agricultural work back to normal. A rough estimate of property losses in three of the 11 provinces affected by the disaster, namely Lao Cai, Yen Bai, and Phu Tho, stood at US$112 million.
By August 14 Lao Cai migrated 1,824 households out of the dangerous flooded area. The Lao Cai People's Committee asked the central government for urgent aid of 70 tons of rice and two thousand sets of blankets, mosquito nets and clothes.
In response to the appeal, on August 15 the Ministry of Finance allocated US$13.3 million for relief and 800 tons of rice to help the affected provinces overcome flood damages. A request from the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front was made for aid, both in cash and kind, to provinces and families affected by the floods.
In response to the appeal, on August 15 the Ministry of Finance allocated US$13.3 million for relief and 800 tons of rice to help the affected provinces overcome flood damages. A request from the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front was made for aid, both in cash and kind, to provinces and families affected by the floods.
Many agencies and individuals responded, and US$1 million in cash has been raised to date and along with material donations ranging from rice, instant noodles and medicines to life vests, blankets and clothes. The Vietnam Bank for Social Policy on August 18 asked its branches in these provinces to report on the losses suffered by its borrowing customers and instructed them to request for liquidation of risky loans.
By government decree, mass media agencies, central and local authorities/organizations, and enterprises are allowed to mobilize but not directly distribute relief, which means all money and goods collected for this purpose must be forwarded to and then distributed by the Aid Committee of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front.
A week after the floods, there is still a lot to be done. On August 20, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) organized a workshop entitled “A quick assessment of losses caused by Kammuri storm and demands for recovery” to hear reports on damages and the Government’s aid and relief works in three provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, and Phu Tho. Representatives from many international organizations participated in the workshop and suggested a development of an early flash-flood warning system at the village/commune level for vulnerable areas. They also raised issues of utmost importance in the current situation, including food aid and clean water supply.
“There are 8,500 adults and 12,000 children below five years of age who need urgent food aid. The Government, donors, the Red Cross, and Plan International have provided support to the affected area but have not yet met the demand,” said Mr. Luu Quang Dai of Plan International.
On the issue of clean water, Vice Minister Dao Xuan Hoc of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development affirmed that UNDP had provided funds for the Rural Clean Water and Sanitation Center to provide each province with three hundred kilograms of Chloramine B for water purification. However Mr. Nguyen Van Gia of the Children Relief Group expressed concern that people in this area have not been equipped with proper usage instruction of the medicine.
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Posted by: casseysmith | September 16, 2008 at 10:52 PM