Australia responds to Mekong Delta flood appeal

November 25, 2011 | 16:22

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The Australian Agency for International Development announced today that it will provide A$500,000 in response to an emergency appeal that the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) made earlier this month to address flood issues in the Mekong Delta region.

The appeal will support the Vietnam Red Cross in assisting 42,000 people who have been affected by the worst flooding to Vietnam’s Mekong Delta in more than a decade.

Since the end of September 2011, floods in the Mekong Delta have swept through the seven provinces of An Giang, Dong Thap, Long An, Can Tho, Vinh Long, Hau Giang and Kien Giang, causing significant losses and damages.

According to the Vietnam Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control, by mid-November 2011, the flood has affected 153,744 houses and over 1,000 schools, causing 85 deaths. Some 10,861 hectares of rice paddy have been lost.

The appeal with the support of Australia’s contribution will assist the Vietnam Red Cross to provide relief and recovery assistance to 10,000 households across An Giang, Dong Thap and Long An provinces.

By Minh Thien

vir.com.vn

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