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Heavy flooding has killed 66 people and affected half a million across five provinces in central Vietnam, according to aid agencies. The United Nations' situation report published on Monday also said some 150,000 houses we
By Helen Clark
HANOI (AlertNet) - Heavy flooding has killed 66 people and affected half a million across five provinces in central Vietnam, according to aid agencies.
The United Nations' situation report published on Monday also said some 150,000 houses were flooded and over 2,000 have collapsed completely following rains that began on October 1.
Five provinces were initially badly hit but water has receded in three -- Nghe An, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Tri -- whilst two, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh, are still considered to be in need of relief.
"A lot of food has been destroyed, both stored food and crops& a substantive number," Bhupinder Tomar, Red Cross Head of Mission in Vietnam, told AlertNet.
It is estimated that food shortages will persist in Quang Binh for four months and there is a "high need" for emergency relief and recovery, according to the report.
Ian Wilderspin of the UNDP said the floods were "quite localised but (have) a very severe impact on those (affected) areas."
Those having nowhere to go are being housed in Red Cross-donated tents.
Access to the affected areas is difficult and "expected to worsen with more rains forecast," a statement from the Red Cross said.
Relief efforts are underway, led by the ministry of defence which has delivered food such as instant noodle via helicopters and the navy has rescued fishermen caught at sea.
Wilderspin said the response by the government had been speedy.
"They immediately provided finance and a fairly sizeable amount of rice," he said.
State media also announced that all but one of the 29 fireworks displays planned for capital Hanoi's 1,000-year birthday celebration would be cancelled and the funds diverted to flood victims.
Many citizens had questioned the large cost of celebrations during a period of trouble and a large container of the fireworks had exploded last week, killing four.
The floods hit one of Vietnam's key rice growing areas. However, outside of Quang Binh, no major crop loss has been reported. Vietnam is the world's second largest rice exporter, after Thailand.
Levels are now rising in three rivers in south central and southern Vietnam thanks to a depression over the East Sea.
Flood and storm season in Vietnam's central coastal region typically begins in late-August to September and can continue until November. The area is regularly battered by typhoons, tropical storms and floods. Last year Typhoon Ketsana killed some 16O after blowing across the South China Sea from the Philippines.
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