Flood victims receive relief funds

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VNRC) yesterday received emergency aid from both domestic and foreign individuals and organisations to help households affected by the recent floods in the northern part of the country. 

The assistance came from Chinese Ambassador to Việt Nam Hong Xiaoyong with $US15,000, the Red Cross Society of China with $50,000 and the Chinese Business Association in Vietnam with $110,000. The VNRC also received $440 from the Government Inspectorate’s trade union. Many organisations and individuals nationwide have given assistance to locals in flood-stricken areas so that they can recover. The VNRC has already provided emergency aid worth over $49,300 to households in Lai Châu and Hà Giang provinces. VNRC Vice President Nguyễn Quốc Hùng said that his organisation would try to raise awareness of how to respond to natural disasters, and the flood victims would receive support via VNRC programmes and projects. Flash floods and landslides triggered by downpours in June left 23 dead and 10 missing in northern mountainous provinces.Of the victims, 16 deaths and nine missing victims were in Lai Châu, five deaths in Hà Giang, one death each in Quảng Ninh and Lào Cai, and one missing person in Điện Biên, reported the Standing Office of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control. Floods also pulled down or swept away 161 houses, damaged 958 homes and submerged 1,800 others. In addition, more than 1,500ha of rice and crops were inundated or destroyed, while nearly 600ha of aquaculture were damaged and 738 cattle and over 13,800 poultry were killed. The total damage has been estimated at nearly $21.8 million — VNS