Hanoi, Viet Nam, October 14, 2020 – Close to a million people have been severely affected by prolonged flooding in central Viet Nam as the country faces another major tropical storm and further dangerous floods.

Red Cross holds grave fears that deadly floods, which have submerged the country’s central provinces over recent days, will worsen as tropical storm Nangka makes landfall today, bringing destructive winds and dumping more rain on hard hit communities.

Since the floods began in early October, at least 28 people have been killed, more than 200,000 homes flooded and an estimated 84,000 hectares of crops damaged. Hundreds of thousands of people – many cut off by the floodwater – are now in desperate need of emergency relief.

As part of a coordinated relief effort, Viet Nam Red Cross staff and volunteers have been accessing isolated communities by boat to provide emergency shelter, safe drinking water, food and other much needed supplies. More relief supplies are urgently being brought in from other parts of the country.

Mr Hoa Nguyen, Deputy Director of External Relations and Development, Viet Nam Red Cross, said: “Our volunteers and staff have been working in the affected areas since the floods began, providing relief supplies to thousands of people, but we need to reach many more as the rain continues and floods worsen. Every day we hear of more families who have lost their homes, their crops and their livelihoods.”

Hung Ha Nguyen, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Programme Coordinator said: “These floods are a double whammy making it even tougher for millions of people already grappling with the economic fall-out of COVID-19 that has destroyed incomes and livelihoods.”

“Multiple storm fronts will overwhelm even the most prepared and resilient communities, especially on top of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We need to help ensure families receive the relief they need in the coming days and weeks,” Mr Hung Ha said.

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