VIETNAM (Oct 13, 2017) — CARE’s emergency teams in Vietnam are preparing to respond to deadly flooding in the country’s north, which has so far left dozens dead and thousands homeless.
Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, CARE’s acting country director in Vietnam, said emergency teams were on standby ready to be deployed to affected areas.
“This is some of the worst flooding we’ve seen in Vietnam and the situation could still get a lot worse,” she warned.
Trang said tropical storm Khanun, currently over the northern tip of the Philippines, threatened to regain typhoon strength before moving into northern Vietnam.
“Tropical storm Khanun would exacerbate the flood disaster that is unfolding and would be the third disaster to strike Vietnam in a month. People are still recovering from Typhoon Doksuri, which struck just a few weeks ago and caused widespread destruction of infrastructure and agriculture,” Trang said, adding that the priority is to support those sheltering in evacuation centers.
People will need basic supplies like food, cooking equipment, blankets and water purification tablets, she said.
“It’s also vital that people have mosquito nets as we know where there’s water, there’s an ever present risk of mosquito-borne disease.”
CARE started working in Vietnam in 1954 and has had projects in almost all of Vietnam’s 64 provinces. CARE’s current work focuses on ensuring long-term positive change for marginalized groups, especially women, while also delivering humanitarian and emergency assistance in times of crisis.
About CARE
Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE has more than seven decades of experience helping people prepare for disasters, providing lifesaving assistance when a crisis hits, and helping communities recover after the emergency has passed. CARE places special focus on women and children, who are often disproportionately affected by disasters. Last year CARE worked in 94 countries to reach 80 million people, including more than 11 million through emergency response and humanitarian aid. Learn more at care.org.
Media Contact:
Nicole Harris, media relations manager, 404-735-0871, nharris@care.org