OCHA Situation Report No. 2 Viet Nam - Floods 21 September 2000
Situation and Damage 1. The people of Mekong river delta in southern Vietnam are currently experiencing the longest, most severe flooding of the last 40 years. Floodwaters in the Mekong river delta have reached their highest levels and all exceed Alarm Level III (very dangerous flood conditions). Effectively, all low-lying areas are submerged, including those in cities and towns; the safety of river protection dykes is in jeopardy; damage to infrastructure has begun. According to the Vietnamese Hydro-meteorological Service, water levels rose at an increasingly rapid pace up until 21 September, and will continue to rise. It is expected that the peak floodwater level will last for up to one week. Then the floodwater will move to downstream provinces and slowly decrease over a period of 2 months. 2. The provinces of Long An, Dong Thap, An Giang, Kien Giang and Can Tho along the Mekong river delta in southern Vietnam have suffered devastating consequences from the floods. So far the floods have claimed 26 lives, mainly amongst young children, and driven up to 140,000 people from their homes. Over 48,500 households seeking sanctuary from the floods on higher ground are also in need of urgent assistance. The floods have also caused extensive damage to rice and other crops as well as to schools and the road network. Economic losses excluding agricultural damage are estimated at VND 380 billion (USD 27 million). According to the Southern Standing Office of the Vietnamese Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control (CCFSC) report issued on 18 September, the main damage in the five provinces can be assessed as follows: 12 September 18 September Compared to 12 September Casualties 3 26 + 23 People killed 23,686 36,591 + 12,905 Households requiring evacuation 9,107 18,959 + 9,852 Households evacuated 15,848 48,558 + 32,710 Households needing assistance Housing Houses inundated/damaged 28,129 379,955 + 351,826 Houses destroyed 85 429 + 344 Agricultural production Summer-autumn rice destroyed 23,819 ha 23,819 ha 0 Third-seasonal rice destroyed 10,939 ha 10,939 ha 0 Infrastructure Schools flooded 243 1,076 + 833 439 km 2,200 km + 1,761 km Inter-provincial/district/communa 81 units 276 units + 195 units l roads inundated Bridges destroyed/damaged Total estimated economic loss VND 329 VND 380 + VND 51 billion billion billion (USD 23 (USD 27 (USD 4 mil.) mil.) mil.) 3. Further updated and more detailed information on the flood situation and its consequences is available on the Website of the Disaster Management Unit (UNDP/DMU) at the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at http://www.undp.org.vn/dmu National Response 4. The Vietnamese Government, in cooperation with provincial and local authorities, has ensured better flood protection by mobilizing soldiers and volunteers to construct and reinforce dykes in flood-prone areas ahead of the arrival of rising waters. These preparedness measures have helped keep the death toll down in comparison with previous years. 5. Following an assessment mission led by the Deputy Prime Minister, the Vietnamese Government has decided to allocate an amount of VND 32 billion (USD 2.3 million) for the four flooded southern provinces of Long An, Dong Thap, An Giang and Kien Giang in addition to their previous allocation of VND 17 billion (USD 1.2 million). 6. The Chairman of the CCFSC / Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development has been visiting Mekong areas to assess the situation since 20 September. 7. The Vietnam Red Cross, with support from IFRC, has carried out assessments and provided emergency relief goods, including rice, plastic sheets, mosquito nets and soap, for people in the flooded areas. Needs for International Assistance 8. The Vietnamese Government is coping with the flood situation at this stage and has made no appeal for international assistance to date. However, the Government has indicated that it would welcome international assistance to help the victims in flooded areas, not only in the Mekong delta but also in some central areas affected by typhoon "Wukong" which hit the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Nghe An and Quang Binh on 10 September 2000, causing extensive damage to houses (1,248 collapsed), classrooms (30 collapsed), infrastructure like dykes, transportation and irrigation works, and agriculture (23,489 ha of rice inundated). 9. According to the UN Resident Coordinator's Office which remains in close contact with the Government authorities and the Red Cross movement, in the face of rising waters there is an urgent need for motorboats, or for cash contributions for the purchase thereof, in order to aid local authorities in evacuating flood victims in the worst affected provinces. Rice, clothing, shelter (plastic sheeting), safe water, water tanks and medicines are also much needed items, according to the Government. In the longer term, rice seed will be required to ensure the timely planting of the important winter-spring rice crop. 10. In addition, IFRC has emphasised the need for clean water, sanitation and basic primary health care for people in the flooded areas. International Response 11. Following their preliminary appeal of 13 September, IFRC launched a revised appeal on 18 September seeking CHF 2.584,180 (approximately USD 1.55 million) in cash, kind and services to assist 125,000 beneficiaries through provision of immediate- and medium-term relief supplies and materials for 3 months. 12. In response to IFRC's appeal, the Governments of Canada (a total amount of CAD 100,000 for Vietnam and Cambodia), the United Kingdom (GBP 150,000), the United States (USD 25,000), Denmark and the Netherlands are providing contributions. UN agencies working in Vietnam will also provide initial assistance through IFRC valued at USD 323,000. The UNDP contribution to this sum is accounted for by USD 50,000 for logistical support, and an additional USD 43,000 for communication and transportation equipment; UNICEF is contributing USD 30,000 and WFP is donating USD 200,000 for the purchase of 800 tones of rice. 13. The UN Disaster Management Team in Hanoi held a meeting chaired by the UN Resident Coordinator on 19 September with the participation of representatives from UNDP, WFP, UNICEF, UNFPA, the World Bank, ADB, the European Commission Humanitarian Office - Bangkok, the European Union Delegation in Hanoi, IFRC, the Disaster Management Unit (DMU) and the Disaster Management Centre of the Vietnamese Government. In the course of the meeting, the IFRC representative reported that disaster mitigation activities, including improvements to dyke and canal systems and the raising of foundations beneath houses in the Mekong delta area had obviously been beneficial and significantly helped local people in protecting themselves from the floods. In addition, local authorities had proved to be well prepared and did very well in evacuating local people to high ground. The IFRC representative also appealed to the UN and to international donors for further emergency aid funds to supplement the Government's relief efforts. 14. FAO plans to field an assessment mission to the Mekong area in the near future, when the water levels are lowering. WHO plans to provide technical assistance to the flood affected provinces by monitoring, making assessment and survey on sensitive diseases for targeted interventions. 15. OCHA has decided to provide an OCHA Emergency Cash Grant of USD 30,000 as well as a grant of USD 30,000 from a contribution for relief assistance held in reserve by OCHA from the Government of Norway, for the purchase of motor boats, medicines and plastic sheeting. 16. OCHA is prepared to serve as channel for cash contributions to be used for immediate relief assistance, in coordination/consultation with relevant organizations in the United Nations system. Funds should be transferred to OCHA account No. CO-590.160.0, Swift code: UBSWCHZ12A at the UBS AG, P.O. Box 2770, CH-1211 Geneva 2, with reference: OCHA - Vietnam - Floods. OCHA provides donors with written confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds contributed. 17. For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform OCHA Geneva, as indicated below, on relief missions/pledges/contributions and their corresponding values by item. 18. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34 Fax: +41-22-917 00 23 In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10 Desk Officers: Ms. S. Metzner-Strack / Mr. R. Mueller / Mr. S. Matsuka Direct Tel. +41-22-917 21 44 / 31 31 / 40 34 Press contact: (in GVA) Mr. Donato Kiniger-Passigli, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53 (in NY) Ms. Phyllis Lee, direct Tel. +1-212-963 48 32 distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: www.vita.org/listsub.htm sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -