United States Announces Additional Humanitarian Assistance in Response to Flooding in Vietnam

Today, while in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo announced the United States is providing an additional $2 million in humanitarian assistance to respond to Typhoon Molave and the ongoing severe flooding that has affected Central Vietnam since early October. This amount brings the total humanitarian assistance from the U.S. Government for people touched by the floods to $2.1 million.

With this new funding, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is ramping up efforts to meet emergency needs in communities affected by Vietnam’s historic typhoon season. Typhoon Molave, which made landfall in Central Vietnam on October 28, 2020, is the ninth tropical storm to hit Vietnam this year. Typhoon Molave follows weeks of torrential rain and landslides that have disrupted the lives and livelihoods of an estimated 1.5 million people and killed more than 130.

In response, USAID’s partners, including the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VNRC), are addressing the immediate needs of the affected families for food, shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene. Because the floods have washed away livestock, farms, and infrastructure, USAID’s partners also will provide assistance to these families as they begin to restore their livelihoods.

This assistance builds on USAID’s long-term investments in Vietnam to reduce the risk and impact of disasters. With funding from USAID, for example, the VNRC has been on the front lines in responding to the impact of severe weather throughout this typhoon season.

The United States stands with the people of Vietnam during this difficult time.