U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink on Saturday announced an initial US$100,000 in disaster relief funds to help the Southeast Asian nation deal with the consequences of Tropical Storm Linfa.

These funds will be provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VNRC) to address the immediate humanitarian needs of vulnerable communities in areas most affected by the storm, the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi said in a press release.

Making landfall on October 11, Linfa is the sixth tropical storm to have hit Vietnam in 2020.

Subsequently, Tropical Storm Nangka made landfall over northeastern Vietnam on Wednesday.

As of Thursday, the flooding had adversely affected over 136,000 households, resulting in at least 40 deaths, injuring 15 people, and leaving 29 people missing, according to the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority and American Red Cross.

In addition, 150,000 people have been evacuated and significant impacts on transportation networks and agricultural livelihoods have been reported.

USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance partner VNRC is on the frontlines of the response and has mobilized rapid disaster response teams, established and trained through ongoing USAID disaster risk reduction programs, to support evacuation, search and rescue, and emergency response operations.

“The U.S. mission in Vietnam expresses our deepest condolences to the people of Vietnam for the loss of life, destruction of property, and displacement of people due to the flooding in central Vietnam,” Ambassador Kritenbrink was quoted as saying in the press release.

“We stand together with the government and the people of Vietnam as they mourn their loved ones, address the damage caused by this terrible flood, and move forward, as the people of Vietnam have always done. We pledge to assist you in your work to rebuild.

“I would also like to express my concern for persons with disabilities in the provinces affected by the typhoon as they are amongst the most vulnerable populations in this disaster.

“They are often home-bound, have less access to information, and cannot take full advantage of preparedness activities and evacuation protocols.” 

It is estimated that the provinces impacted by Tropical Storm Linfa are home to over 200,000 people with disabilities, of whom 61,000 are directly affected by this disaster.

Since 2000, USAID, through the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, has provided more than $26 million in disaster response, preparedness, and risk reduction assistance in Vietnam.

Through the Department of Defense, the U.S. government has also supplied more than $28 million since 1998 to train military and civilian emergency responders while developing and equipping disaster management centers, maritime response centers, and disaster shelters at community levels.

USAID continues to support Vietnam’s disaster relief efforts and plans are underway to provide additional assistance.

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