Vietnam: Floods - OCHA-03: 24-Oct-01
OCHA Situation Report No. 3
Viet Nam - Floods
24 October 2001
Waters in the upstream provinces of the Mekong River Delta bordering
Cambodia receding slowly, but still above danger level. In addition,
torrential rains triggered by a tropical depression hit the central
provinces.
Situation and Damage
1. By the morning of 24 October upstream gauging stations of the Mekong
River Delta in southern Viet Nam, on the Viet Nam-Cambodia border, and
inland gauging stations of the Long Xuyen and Dong Thap Muoi areas, were
registering a reduction in water levels. Nevertheless the Chau Doc Gauging
Station on the Hau River, in An Giang province, was at 3.88 metres. It
still exceeded Alarm Level III which denotes very dangerous flood
conditions. The flood waters at the in-land Moc Hao Gauging Station on
Long An province measured 2.46 metres (0.66 metres above Alarm Level III).
2. In addition, a tropical depression triggered torrential rains over
central provinces of Viet Nam early this week. While there is no official
report available to date, an initial media report indicates that around 20
persons have been killed. Floodwater levels of rivers in the Central River
Systems in the area are increasing above Alarm Level II (dangerous flood
condition). The area experienced devastating floods in late 1999 in which
over 700 people were killed.
3. The Vietnam Standing Office of the Central Committee for Flood and
Storm Control (CCFSC) has reported an increase in the death toll from the
floods in the Mekong River Delta, up to 310 people (including 243
children), with a sharp rise in mortality in the provinces of An Giang and
Kien Giang. On 22 October Vietnam's Disaster Management Unit summarized
the overall losses as estimated by the CCFSC as follows:
Flood damage in the Mekong River Delta in Vietnam (as of 22 October 2001)
|------------+-------+-------+-------+------+
| | Total | Long | Dong | An |
| | | An | Thap | Giang|
|------------+-------+-------+-------+------+
| People | 310| 20| 82| 107|
| killed | (243)| (14)| (60)| (82)|
| (children) | | | | |
|------------+-------+-------+-------+------+
| Households |314,054| 54,955| 112,86| 32,61|
| inundated |(2,903)|(1,296)| 0| 1|
| (washed | | | (713)| (298)|
| away) | | | | |
|------------+-------+-------+-------+------+
| Schools | 1,663| 275| 637| 129|
| flooded | | | | |
|------------+-------+-------+-------+------+
| Clinics | 52| 22| 10| 3|
| flooded | | | | |
|------------+-------+-------+-------+------+
| Agricultura| 74,593| 5,371| 10,232| 1,005|
| l area | | | | |
| affected | | | | |
| (ha) | | | | |
|------------+-------+-------+-------+------+
| Economic | 59| 9| 23| 5|
| loss (USD | | | | |
| million) | | | | |
|------------+-------+-------+-------+------+
|------------+------+------+------+------+------+------|
| | Can | Kien | Tien | Vinh | Soc | Tra |
| | Tho | Giang| Giang| Long | Trang| Vinh |
|------------+------+------+------+------+------+------|
| People | 31| 55| 15| | | |
| killed | (31)| (42)| (14)| | | |
| (children) | | | | | | |
|------------+------+------+------+------+------+------|
| Households | 24,67| 25,38| 44,43| 18,68| 450| |
| inundated | 0| 6| 9| 3| | |
| (washed | (76)| (209)| (6)| (305)| | |
| away) | | | | | | |
|------------+------+------+------+------+------+------|
| Schools | 121| 161| 252| 88| | |
| flooded | | | | | | |
|------------+------+------+------+------+------+------|
| Clinics | 4| 10| 3| | | |
| flooded | | | | | | |
|------------+------+------+------+------+------+------|
| Agricultura| 18,61| 3,975| 10,10| 23,36| 1,985| 225|
| l area | 5| | 6| 6| | |
| affected | | | | | | |
| (ha) | | | | | | |
|------------+------+------+------+------+------+------|
| Economic | 7| 6| 8| | | |
| loss (USD | | | | | | |
| million) | | | | | | |
|------------+------+------+------+------+------+------|
Source: Standing Office of the Central Committee for Flood and Storm
Control
4. The disproportionately high number of children amongst the flood
victims remains a matter of the utmost concern.
5. Detailed 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
6. The central Government of Viet Nam has provided the affected provinces
with cash subsidies and regular guidance and assistance. The Government
has also released about 3,500 tonnes of rice to the families needing
assistance.
7. 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.
8. In addition to the funding of emergency relief programmes reported in
OCHA Situation Reports of 28 September and 8 October 2001, the Government
of Germany has channelled DEM 100,000, equivalent to USD 46,950, through
OCHA for the provision of food and boats for use in the emergency child
care centres established by local authorities in the wake of this year's
flooding.
9. Following a national appeal launched by the Vietnam Red Cross Society,
seeking approximately USD 500,000 to provide rice, household kits, small
boats and fishing nets, Czech (USD 30,000), French (USD 20,000), Japanese
(USD 50,000) and United States (USD 25,000) Embassies have announced
contributions.
10. Several NGOs such as Catholic Relief Services, World Vision, Care
International and Save the Children alliances are implementing their own
relief programmes in the affected areas.
11. UNICEF will be distributing recreational kits and water supplies to
the child care centres in Dong Thap with a contribution from the Norwegian
Government.
12. 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 2001
13. OCHA provides donors with written confirmation and pertinent details
concerning the utilization of the funds contributed.
14. For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform OCHA
Geneva, as indicated below, on relief missions/pledges/contributions and
their corresponding values by item.
15. 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.
16. OCHA is in close contact with the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in
Hanoi, and will revert with further information, as it becomes available.
17. 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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