Vietnam: Floods - OCHA-02: 08-Oct-01
OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Viet Nam - Floods
8 October 2001
The Government of Vietnam is welcoming international assistance in
response to the current flood situation in the Mekong River Delta. The
most immediate priority is to prevent more children from drowning.
Situation and Damage
1. Up to 5 October 2001, the number of people killed in this year's
monsoon flooding of the Mekong River Delta in southern Vietnam had reached
221, of whom 181 were children (82%). The daily increase in casualties
among children remains the highest concern in the affected area. More than
500 emergency child care centres have been established by local
authorities to help look after the children while their parents are in
search of food and livelihood. Other care centres will be set up to
prevent further deaths among children by drowning in the floodwaters.
The current flooding is expected to last for another two to three months.
2. The floodwater levels in the Mekong River Delta continue to recede
slowly. On 7 October, the floodwater level of the Tien River at the Tan
Chau Gauging Station (on the river border between An Giang and Dong Thap
provinces) measured 4.58 metres (0.38 metres above Alarm Level III: a
very dangerous flood); and the level of the Hau River at the Chau Doc
Gauging Station in An Giang province was at 4.32 metres (0.82 metres above
Alarm Level III). The floodwater levels at in-land Gauging Stations are
also receding and will continue to recede slowly while remaining at high
floodwater levels. The highest floodwater levels at main downstream
Gauging Stations will fluctuate under tidal impacts.
3. The Vietnamese Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control (CCFSC)
reported on 5 October that 252,292 houses had been inundated, with 2,162
collapsed and 10,722 damaged. 1,405 schools and 44 clinics have been
flooded, and nearly 40,000 ha of agricultural land have been affected.
The total economic loss is estimated at nearly VND 675 billion (USD 45
million).
Flood damage in the Mekong River Delta in Vietnam (as of 5 October 2001)
|------------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------|
| | Total | Long | Dong | An | Can | Kien | Tien |
| | | An | Thap | Giang | Tho | Giang | Giang |
|------------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------|
| People | 221| 15| 71| 77| 22| 23| 13|
| killed | (181)| (10)| | | | | |
| (children) | | | | | | | |
| | | | (56)| (62)| (22)| (19)| (12)|
|------------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------|
| Households | 252,292| 52,686| 98,981| 31,101| 8,985| 17,047| 43,492|
| inundated | | | | | | | |
|------------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------|
| Schools | 1,405| 270| 614| 201| 64| 49| 207|
| flooded | | | | | | | |
|------------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------|
| Clinics | 44| 14| 9| 6| 4| 10| 1|
| flooded | | | | | | | |
|------------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------|
| Agricult'l | 39,317| 4,231| 8,882| 4,557| 11,124| 1,776| 8,747|
| area | | | | | | | |
| affected | | | | | | | |
| (ha) | | | | | | | |
|------------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------|
| Economic | 45| 8| 19| 4| 5| 4| 5|
| loss (USD | | | | | | | |
| million) | | | | | | | |
|------------+--------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------|
4. Latest information on the flood situation and damage is available on
the Disaster Management Unit (DMU) website organized jointly by UNDP and
the Vietnamese Government at
http://www.undp.org.vn/dmu/latest/en/frame.htm
National and International Response
5. Vietnamese authorities continue to engage in search and rescue and
relief activities through the provision of rice, life-buoys (especially
for children), medicines, water purification tablets and other relief
supplies and by mobilising relief teams and first-aid and health care
teams. The Government has so far mobilized VND 30 billion (USD 2 million)
to support flood-stricken provinces in the Mekong River Delta. They have
also undertaken a major public education initiative warning parents not to
leave their children unattended.
6. Although the Government of Viet Nam has made no appeal for
international assistance to date , any assistance provided to the flood
victims would be highly appreciated .
7. OCHA has decided to provide USD 40,000 from their own resources (USD
20,000) as well as from prepositioned funds provided by the Government of
Norway (USD 20,000). The Government of Italy will be also providing USD
50,000 to support children through its prepositioned funds held in reserve
by OCHA.
8. The UN Disaster Management Team (UN-DMT) in Hanoi continues to monitor
the development of the flood situation in consultation with government
authorities as well as international aid organizations in the country.
Relevant documents are available on the above DMU website.
9. So far UNICEF has provided 150 emergency medical kits and 4,000 clean
water filters (worth USD 65,000) and recreational kits for temporary
child care centres (worth USD 20,000). UNICEF is also distributing flood
safety information materials. UNICEF floating medical clinics in Dong
Thap, An Giang and Long An are providing health care services in evacuated
communities. The UNICEF response to this year's floods is being conducted
through its Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan which has a shortfall
of USD 115,600 to meet its total requirements of USD 294,000. UNICEF is
also seeking an additional USD 279 400 to provide health, water and
sanitation, education and child protection assistance to the current flood
victims over the coming three to six months. Further information is
available on UNICEF Viet Nam's Internet website at www.unicef.org.vn
10. OCHA is prepared to serve as a 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 the following account:
Bank's Name: Chase Manhattan Bank, NY
Address: International Agencies Banking
1166, Avenue of the Americas,
17th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10036-2708,
USA
Account's Name: United Nations Geneva
General Fund
Account's Number: 485-001802
SWIFT Code: CHASUS33
ABA code 021000021
Reference: OCHA - Viet Nam - Floods
OCHA provides donors with written confirmation and pertinent details
concerning the utilization of the funds contributed.
11. For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform OCHA
Geneva, as indicated below, on relief missions/pledges/contributions
and their corresponding values by item.
12. Contributions to this disaster may be found by clicking on Financial
Tracking at the top of the page for this disaster on the OCHA Internet
Website ( http://www.reliefweb.int). Donors are requested to verify this
table and inform OCHA Geneva of corrections/additions/values. Donors are
encouraged to notify OCHA Geneva of their contributions to this disaster
using the OCHA Standardized Contributions Recording Format, available
electronically on the above mentioned Financial Tracking Website.
13. OCHA is in close contact with the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in
Hanoi, and will revert with further information, as it becomes available.
14. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing
emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int
Telephone: +41-22-91712 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org
In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10
Desk Officers:
Mr. J. McGoldrick / Mr. R. Mueller / Mr. S. Matsuka / Mr. K. Quiding
Direct Tel. +41-22-917 1712 / 3131 / 4034 / 1769
Press contact:
(GVA) Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 56
(NYC) Ms. Phyllis Lee, direct Tel. +1-212-963 48 32
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