Minister Mike Pompeo sent condolences from the US government to the Government and the people of Vietnam who are coping with floods in the Middle of Vietnam on October 22.
“The US government offers its deepest condolences to the Government and the people of Vietnam who are experiencing the pain of those killed in a severe flood in Central Vietnam as a result of Tropical Storm Linfa. The US government is ready to assist Vietnam in dealing with the damage caused by floods. We share our pain with those affected by this tragedy, including thousands of displaced people”, according to the statement on the State Department’s website.
As of October 20, floods and landslides caused by 7 consecutive tropical storms and heavy rains in the Central of Vietnam and Tay Nguyen have left 133 dead and missing, according to Government of Vietnam data. Of which, there were 111 deaths, the most severe was Quang Tri with 49 deaths. 22 people are missing, of which 15 are Thua Thien Hue in the Rao Trang area. Natural disasters also sweep away homes, animals, crops, and infrastructure and adversely affect at least 890,000 people in the entire region.
Across Cambodia, continuous rains since early October have caused flash floods. As of October 19, at least 27 people were killed in Cambodia, according to USAID. Flooding also affected more than 532,000 people in Cambodia and resulted in extensive damage.
USAID is working with the Vietnam Red Cross and the World Food Program in Cambodia to provide emergency assistance to flood affected people.
USAID also funds long-term disaster risk and impact reduction programs across Southeast Asia. Through these investments, USAID’s partners have been at the forefront in responding to the impact of extreme weather in Vietnam and Cambodia during this year’s hurricane season.
With more heavy rains and storms forecast in the coming days, USAID disaster specialists continue to monitor the need for humanitarian assistance across Southeast Asia, working closely with local agencies and field partners.