Receiving $13 million in emergency aid to help weather Storm 3

Vice Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep, on behalf of MARD, conveyed his appreciation to the embassies and international organizations for their timely and precise assistance. In particular, he emphasized the sentimental significance of the assistance and the necessity of support from international organizations, ambassadors and nations.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep revealed that before the arrival of Typhoon No. 3, MARD had been cooperating with many international organizations in disaster response.

In the immediate aftermath, the parties worked together to assess the extent of the damage and reach preliminary results. MARD management noted that although Vietnam is often affected by natural disasters, the country rarely experiences major cyclones. The strongest cyclones typically have winds of Force 12. Nevertheless, Typhoon No. 3 was a historic typhoon, exceeding the capacity of infrastructure to withstand the Force 15 winds that struck the continent.

Thirteen people were reported dead when the storm made landfall. However, flooding and landslides that followed the storm caused more than 300 deaths and missing persons.

The Vietnamese government has made significant efforts, as evidenced by the direct deployment of MARD leaders to the field and the implementation of strong directives from the outset, according to Vice Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep. Nevertheless, the storm has caused catastrophic levels of destruction in the northern mountainous region, leading to significant loss of life and property.

Initial estimates suggest the economic impact is around $2 billion, with the potential to rise to $2.5 billion. The storm’s long-term impacts are not fully captured in this figure. Vice Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep stressed that infrastructure will require a significant investment of time and resources to repair, as well as stabilize the lives of the population.

“There are some problems that money can’t solve. For example, the 300 people who died and went missing, and the trauma children are going through when they lose their loved ones. The storm will have long-lasting emotional and material consequences, especially for families who recently escaped poverty but are now being thrown back into it by the storm,” said Vice Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep.

In this regard, MARD management has stressed the crucial importance of support provided by countries and organizations at this time. MARD believes that accurate damage assessment, understanding of needs and precise coordination of support are crucial factors in avoiding inaccurate assessments that could hamper relief efforts.

In addition to the $13 million in cash, MARD received more than 200 tons of products via emergency airlifts from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and India, according to Vice Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep. The shipments were promptly distributed to affected regions and include essential items such as kitchen equipment, medical supplies, school supplies and emergency equipment, including clean water, tents and repair tools.

The current priority of the agricultural sector, as emphasized by Vice Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep, is to accelerate the restoration of production to guarantee the livelihoods of the people. He also advocated for the continued assistance of international organizations and embassies in information exchange, agricultural production, forecasting, livelihood development and advice to prevent similar disasters from recurring.

Ms. Pauline Tamesis, UN Resident in Vietnam and Co-Partner on Disaster Risk Reduction, highlighted the importance of this partnership as the main coordination mechanism between the UN and other key partners. She emphasized that the UN does not act independently, but rather mobilizes and coordinates support in cooperation with governments. The United Nations led the activation of eight sectors under the Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership in response to Typhoon No. 3 and its aftermath. UN agencies are responsible for most of these sectors, including health, education, nutrition support, shelter, early recovery and protection, and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene).

“We are fully committed to mobilising the necessary technical expertise and capacity to facilitate a unified response across donors. The UN, as the leader of these sectors, is prepared to execute a joint response plan, as we reiterated during our last meeting with MARD. This strategy will ensure that donor support is effectively coordinated, allowing us to prioritise assistance to the most vulnerable and affected populations,” Ms Pauline stressed.

In addition, the United Nations is currently in the process of mobilizing resources from emergency response funds, with a particular focus on sectors such as education, shelter, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). In the WASH sector, the United Nations will prioritize central health facilities, while child protection will be a primary concern in the education sector. The United Nations is currently in the process of rapidly mobilizing these resources to ensure the wide dissemination of information and data, thereby enabling donors and partners to make informed and timely decisions.

Mr Iain Frew, the UK Ambassador to Vietnam, acknowledged that this is a particularly difficult time for communities that have been affected. The UK expects MARD to continue to coordinate recovery efforts as the needs of these communities are expected to increase in the coming weeks and months. “With increased rainfall and storms predicted, we understand that the impact will continue and we remain committed to providing support wherever we can,” the UK Ambassador said.

U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper expressed support for those affected by the storm and flooding, as they suffered significant economic losses and lost friends and family members.

“The Vice Minister’s leadership is greatly appreciated, and we are grateful for the diligent efforts of the Vietnamese government, police officers, and military personnel to address the needs of those affected. We look forward to continuing to work with the Vice Minister, MARD, and all stakeholders to ensure that the needs of communities, individuals, and families impacted by the storm and flooding are met. We are committed to listening to your needs and responding to them as best we can during these difficult times,” the U.S. Ambassador said.

On August 1, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Sandeep Arya announced that Vietnam had formally joined the Disaster Resilient Infrastructure Coalition. India is the driving force behind the 40-country initiative, headquartered in New Delhi. The coalition engages in a variety of activities, including technology transfer, knowledge exchange, financial mobilization and risk assessment, to support Vietnam’s long-term capacity-building initiatives.

During the donation acceptance, the ambassadors of Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland also expressed their support for the relief efforts for the victims of Typhoon No. 3 in Vietnam.