Tropical Storm Kummari Displaces Thousands in Vietnam
August 12, 2008—Over the past week, thousands of Vietnamese residents have been inundated by storm-related floods that hit the country's northern region.
Vietnam is prone to floods and landslides each year. In October 2007, at least 11,000 homes and about 185,000 acres of farmland were destroyed in the north-central region. Photo by CRS staff
When Tropical Storm Kummari touched down in China on August 6, it brought heavy rainfall that resulted in flash floods in Vietnam that have thus far reportedly damaged more than 4,000 homes and damaged at least 20 acres of farmland. Many roads and railways are also blocked by flooding and landslides.
"Disaster preparedness and early warning systems have made a great difference in coastal areas of Vietnam," says CRS Deputy Country Representative, Andrew Wells-Dang. "However, loss of life and livelihoods are still frequent occurrences in upland river valleys, where many ethnic minority groups live. One disaster can reverse years of savings and hard work, plunging a family back below the poverty line."
Kummari was the fourth storm this year to hit the Eastern Sea (also known as the South China Sea). Additional rainfall and high river levels are expected over the next several days.
The Vietnamese government has distributed initial food supplies, mobilized border guard units to evacuate people from flooded areas, and cleared roads and railroads. While the full extent of damage is unknown, Catholic Relief Services has allocated funds for an immediate response and has staff on the ground conducting damage and needs assessment.
The most affected provinces are the upper Red River valley areas of Lao Cai, Yen Bai and Phu Tho, with Lao Cai being the hardest hit. The death toll is currently at 145.
CRS, the United Nations and other international and local organizations are coordinating to determine a joint response to this tragedy. CRS' response will combine short-term relief with medium-term livelihood activities.
Our Work in Vietnam
CRS has worked in the unified Vietnam since 1992 and opened its current office in Hanoi in 1994. The agency currently has programs in 12 provinces in all regions of the country. In addition to emergency response programming, CRS Vietnam continues to develop and strengthen its education, agriculture and rural enterprise programs by working in solidarity with its partners. While developing local capacity in agriculture and rural enterprise development, CRS advocates for policy reform in education and agricultural extension.
