United Nations seeks $ 9.4 million to assist flood victims in Viet Nam

Geneva, New York - In response to the devastating floods that Viet Nam has experienced this year, the United Nations today launched an Inter-Agency Appeal for $ 9.4 million to help the victims for the first six months of an urgent relief and initial rehabilitation programme.
People living in the Mekong river delta in the south of the country are currently struggling with the worst and longest-lasting floods ever recorded in the area. More than 5 million people in southern Viet Nam have been affected by the floods and, according to latest information, at least 370 people have been killed. Some 670,000 people have either been relocated or need to be evacuated.

Affected people are living in temporary shelter, cramped and unhygienic, where the risks of serious illnesses and epidemics are ever present. The extensive and prolonged floods also destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of crops and seeds, thus hampering next season planting and harvesting. The total economic losses are estimated at over $ 240 million.

The United Nations Inter-Agency Appeal intends to assist those who have suffered most from the impact of the floods, focusing on relief and initial rehabilitation in sectors such as: shelter, food, water and sanitation, basic education, health, child protection, fishing boats and nets, as well as initial rehabilitation of schools, clinics, houses, and essential utilities.

Coordination, management and logistics support are also taken into account by this Inter-Agency Appeal which has been prepared by the UN Disaster Management Team (UNDMT) in-country, under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator, with support of the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team, and the OCHA Regional Disaster Response Advisor for Asia. Participating agencies in the Appeal are: FAO, UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, WFP, and OCHA.

As an immediate response, OCHA has decided to allocate a total amount of $ 150,000, drawn from grants from Denmark and Norway ($ 50,000 each), as well as from OCHA's own resources ($ 50,000). In addition, Luxembourg has channeled LUF 15 million (approx. $ 330,000), and the United Kingdom $ 60,000 for emergency assistance through OCHA. In total, funds from OCHA or channeled through OCHA amount to $ 540,000.

The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and leading non-governmental organizations are lending parallel support to Vietnamese disaster victims.

For further information, please contact: Donato Kiniger-Passigli, OCHA - Geneva (9172653); Phyllis Lee or Rosa Malango, OCHA - New York (9634832 or 9632380).