Attachments
This report is issued on behalf of the UN Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It covers the period up to 26 November 2020. The next update will be issued once new information becomes available.
Highlights
• Tropical Cyclone VAMCO (Storm No. 13) made landfall on 15 November as a Category 1 storm over Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue Provinces with wind speeds of up to 100 kph. Between 15 and 16 November, TC VAMCO brought heavy rains, strong winds and storm surge to the province of Thanh Hoa south to Thua Thien Hue, those same areas already bearing the impact of multiple storms and floods that have struck Viet Nam since the beginning of October.
• As of 20 November, 243 people have reportedly been killed or are missing, according to the Viet Nam Disaster Management Authority (VNDMA).
• An estimated 7.7 million people live in the affected areas, with some 1.5 million people, especially women, girls, boys, elderly and people with disabilities, in nine provinces directly affected and more than 600,000 houses have been flooded, damaged or destroyed.
• On 31 October, the Viet Nam Flood Response Plan 2020, developed by the Disaster Management Group (DMG) in Viet Nam on a sectoral basis in consultation with the Government, was released aiming to identify those critical priorities for the 177,000 most vulnerable flood affected people with multi-sector assistance to be covered by UN agencies, NGOs and the Red Cross in order to augment the wider Government response.
• As of 26 November, approximately $9.7 million in support of the Response Plan have been reported. In addition, international organizations, including UN agencies, NGOs, the Red Cross and the AHA Center have been providing critical relief items including home repair kits, kitchen sets, food, household, hygiene, education and dignity kits, water purification tablets and multipurpose cash.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
On 13 October, the Government of Viet Nam released a call for emergency relief and support following four tropical cyclones and the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone which combined have caused severe and widespread flooding, landslides, storm surge and strong winds since 6 October. Between 5 and 20 October, VNDMA reported that many areas in central Viet Nam recorded a total rainfall of more than 2,400 mm, and in some locations, flood waters exceeded the previous historical high recorded in 1979 and 1999. As of 20 November, nine provinces have been affected by the cumulative impacts of the multiple storms including Tropical Cyclone Molave. These are Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Nghe An, Binh Dinh and Kon Tum provinces, with Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Ngai, Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue provinces most severely affected. In addition, Tropical Cyclone VAMCO (Storm No. 13) made landfall on 15 November as a Category 1 storm over Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue provinces with wind speeds of up to 100 kph. Between 15 and 16 November, TC VAMCO brought heavy rains, strong winds and storm surge to those same areas already bearing the impact of multiple storms and floods that have struck Viet Nam since the beginning of October. As precautionary measures, more than 300,000 people at risk were evacuated, electricity was cut off from 283 communes, and the airports in Da Nang, Chu Lai (Quang Nam), Phu Bai (Thua Thien-Hue), Dong Hoi (Quang Binh), and Vinh (Nghe An) were closed. From 20 to 23 October, joint Government-UN-NGO assessments were undertaken in Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, and Quang Ngai provinces. Key findings from the assessments include the need for emergency food assistance for 177,000 of the most vulnerable people, restoration of agricultural land, safe access to clean water and sanitation facilities including in health centres and schools, provision of dignity kits for women and girls, provision of education supplies and alternative learning solutions to ensure continuity of learning, support for those people evacuated from their homes, repairs for damaged houses, replacement of basic household items, health support especially maternal and child health, risk communication activities, provision of micro nutrients, and continuation of nutrition activities to prevent an increase in rates of malnutrition. Protection has been identified as a key need in this response, including the immediate need to ensure protection and safeguards for women, children, and people with disabilities. As of 20 November, 243 people have reportedly been killed or are missing, according to the Viet Nam Disaster Management Authority (VNDMA). An estimated 7.7 million people live in areas affected by flooding caused by the multiple storms, with some 1.5 million people in nine provinces directly affected and more than 600,000 houses flooded, damaged or destroyed. Of those people directly affected by the current disaster, some 753,000 are women and girls, 134,000 are children under five, and 143,000 are over 65 years old. As well as damage to houses, some 30,000 hectares of agricultural land has been damaged (including rice, other crops, and aquatic products) and more than 2 million cattle and poultry have been killed. This is likely to have severe impacts on food security and livelihoods, especially for those people who were already experiencing adverse economic impacts due to COVID-19. Further, more than 862 schools have been flooded and damaged, with detrimental impacts on children’s ability to continue accessing education. In addition, more than 124 health centres and hospitals have also been damaged or flooded.
The areas most severely affected by flooding are also those same provinces which experienced a recent new wave of COVID-19 cases in July and August, with adverse socio-economic impacts for a region which already records higher than national average multidimensional poverty rates. As a consequence of COVID-19 related measures, the most vulnerable people had already had their coping capacities eroded prior to this current disaster and are thus in more acute need of immediate assistance to help them manage the current, compounded crisis.
On 31 October, the Viet Nam Flood Response Plan 2020, developed by the Disaster Management Group (DMG) in Viet Nam on a sectoral basis in consultation with the Government, was released aiming to identify critical priorities for the 177,000 most vulnerable flood-affected people drawing on multi-sector assistance to be covered by UN agencies, NGOs and the Red Cross in order to augment the wider Government response. Of those people targeted for assistance, some 89,000 are women and girls, 16,000 are children under five, and 17,000 are over 65 years old. While many people require support, the Response Plan ensures that the most vulnerable are not left behind, especially given the compounded impacts of COVID-19. Targeting the needs of the most vulnerable flood-affected people, the Response Plan requires $40 million over a period of six months to address the immediate humanitarian needs as well as some early recovery activities, which are integrated through all Sector plans. Specific consideration is being given to ensure physical distancing and other Government COVID-prevention measures.