Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Lê Minh Hoan presented traditional checkered scarves to the Swiss experts and the Swiss Ambassador to Việt Nam, Thomas Gass. VNS Photo Minh Phương

HÀ NỘI – A team of experts from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has been working in Việt Nam to assist those affected by Typhoon Yagi in Yên Bái Province.

On Friday, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Lê Minh Hoan met with Swiss Ambassador to Việt Nam, Thomas Gass, and the Swiss expert team in Hà Nội to praise Switzerland’s swift response to support Yên Bái.

Minister Hoan expressed his appreciation for Switzerland’s support and hoped that, under the guidance of the Swiss team, the province and its people would become more adaptable to climate change and natural disasters.

Ambassador Gass shared his sympathy for Việt Nam’s situation and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to helping the nation, particularly Yên Bái Province, restore livelihoods and production for residents affected by the typhoon.

“Switzerland is no stranger to natural disasters, and I believe that’s why we responded so quickly by sending a team of experts to Việt Nam. We are here to learn together how to manage the impacts of climate change on our communities and how to make them more resilient. It’s not just about the economy, it’s about the people,” said the Ambassador.

“In addition to, we are collaborating with other development partners in Việt Nam to continue this early recovery phase. And certainly, we are also looking at how we can help Yên Bái Province become more resilient to future disasters.”

The Swiss team, including specialists in water and sanitation, emergency shelter and disaster risk reduction, is assisting Vietnamese authorities in assessing needs and formulating both short- and medium-term responses.

Over the past two weeks, the team has provided 16 well cleaning kits and trained local authorities on their use. These kits will enable around 7,000 people per month to access clean drinking water.

Financial support is also being allocated to those who have lost their livelihoods, helping them quickly regain a source of income. This programme will benefit 621 households, with each household receiving US$360 (VNĐ 10,5 million).

Additionally, the Swiss team has rented nine excavator and truck units to clear roads affected by landslides, ensuring access to essential services.

Last Tuesday, the SDC handed over relief supplies to provincial authorities, including 300 family tents, five multipurpose tents and water distribution systems.

Beat Herger, the Swiss team leader, expressed hope that Switzerland’s assistance would help Yên Bái Province overcome this challenging time.

“This is a cooperative effort between Switzerland and Việt Nam. While we can’t help everyone in the country during this crisis, we hope to make a meaningful difference for some,” said Herger.

Beat Herger (right) and the team are on-site, assisting with clearing roads affected by landslides. Photo courtesy of the Swiss Embassy.

Yên Bái Province was one of the hardest-hit areas by Typhoon Yagi.

Nguyễn Thế Phước, deputy chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, shared that the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi resulted in 54 fatalities in the province, 42 injuries, over 7,000 hectares of agricultural land damaged, many roads and destruction destroyed and the electricity and telecommunications systems disrupted.

“With the support of the Government, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and international organisations, including Switzerland, Yên Bái Province has made significant efforts to recover from the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi. After two weeks of searching, the province found the last person who lost their life to the disaster just two days ago,” Phước said.

“All relocated households have been provided with accommodation, ensuring basic living conditions. To date, we have allocated land for households to rebuild their homes, with plans to construct 1,400 new houses for the affected families.”

He also expressed deep gratitude for Switzerland’s timely support and committed to using all support from Switzerland effectively, ensuring that assistance reaches those in greatest need.

“Swiss team came to the province and shared their experience, enabling us to carry out the recovery efforts more effectively and quickly. In addition to the equipment provided, the financial support programme has been crucial in helping people return to their daily lives,” he added. VNS