U.S. Provides Emergency Typhoon Assistance To Vietnam

The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announced that it will provide $100,000 to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, in support of the Vietnam Red Cross, for emergency relief supplies to the areas most affected by Typhoon Durian (also known as Typhoon Reming).

The relief supplies include household items, cooking stoves, water containers, and mosquito nets.

On December 5, Typhoon Durian struck southern Vietnam, causing severe damage to coastal areas, and damaged or destroyed more than 120,000 houses and other infrastructure. The typhoon left at least 100 people dead or missing, injured over 430 persons, and displaced and severely affected a large number of residents. The provinces of Ba Ria Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Thuan, Vinh Long, and Tien Giang were most affected by the storm.

According to Vietnam's Central Committee for Storm and Flood Control, loss of life was reduced due to the early preparation and evacuation efforts of the Government of Vietnam (GVN). USAID has contributed about $2.4 million to the GVN's flood and storm early warning efforts since 2001.