Representatives from Việt Nam and Japan attend the handover ceremony for Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) supplies, supporting Vietnamese communities severely affected by recent natural disasters. Photo courtesy of JICA Vietnam

HÀ NỘI In response to an urgent request from the Government of Việt Nam, the Government of Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), decided to provide emergency relief supplies to support affected communities.

The Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) goods arrived at Nội Bài International Airport on Monday, including essential items such as water purifiers, blankets, plastic sheets, and jerry cans, aimed at helping people

A handover ceremony was held on the same day where the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority (VDDMA), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, officially received the supplies. VDDMA will coordinate the distribution of the supplies to Bắc Ninh Province, one of the provinces most severely affected.

Chief Representative of JICA Vietnam Office Kobayashi Yosuke, said “We are committed to supporting the Vietnamese people during this difficult time. We hope that this emergency assistance will reach those in need as quickly as possible and contribute to their recovery.”

According to VDDMA, after just five days of appeals, numerous international organisations have delivered relief supplies and pledged support to help Việt Nam recover from recent natural disasters.

Samaritan’s Purse provided household items, kitchen supplies, and personal hygiene kits to 1,500 families in Hà Tĩnh and 800 families in Tuyên Quang. The organisation also donated 4,000 boxes of instant noodles, 4,000 boxes of bottled water, and 4,000 cans of sausages to flood-affected communities in Lạng Sơn.

UNICEF plans to send 4,500 boxes of bottled drinking water and 600 plastic water tanks to either Lạng Sơn or Cao Bằng.

Save the Children contributed VNĐ500 million (US$19,000) to support families with children in Hà Tĩnh. The International Organization for Migration assisted Hà Tĩnh with 4,000 bottles of water and 350 essential supply kits.

Australia donated 756 personal hygiene kits, 320 kitchen kits, 30 blankets, and 756 home repair kits to Bắc Ninh Province. These supplies are expected to arrive at Nội Bài airport on Tuesday.

ActionAid is currently processing a support package worth VNĐ480 million (nearly $18,300) for Tuyên Quang Province.

Additionally, relief supplies from Russia are en route to Nội Bài, while Canada has pledged $50,000 through a non-governmental organization. The US embassy, the European Union, and Meta (Facebook) are also expected to provide disaster assistance via NGO channels.

Since the beginning of the year, Việt Nam has experienced 11 storms, six of which directly impacted the mainland, and four tropical depressions, resulting in 238 deaths and nearly 400 injuries. Hundreds of thousands of homes have collapsed, vast areas of crops have been swept away, and landslides have disrupted transportation networks.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, natural disasters have caused an estimated economic loss of VNĐ35 trillion (over $1.3 billion), reducing GDP by 0.2 per cent. VNS