HÀ NỘI — A Việt Nam Red Cross (VNRC) campaign has helped over 74,000 households overcome consequences of a drought and saline intrusion in the Central, Central Highland and Cửu Long Delta regions.

This was stated in a report of the VNRC.

Through local and international donations, including the United States Agency for International Development, the society has provided VNĐ93.6 billion (US$4.16 million) in emergency and rehabilitation aid to support disaster victims, including cash, clean water, water containers and tanks, as well as Aquatabs pills and water purification machines.

The campaign has also helped improve awareness and behaviour on personal and environmental hygiene for locals in 15 of 21 provinces and cities that were hit by the severe drought and saline intrusion in 2016. They include Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Đắk Lắk and Ninh Thuận, as well as Bình Thuận, Long An, Tiền Giang and Bến Tre, along with Vĩnh Long, Trà Vinh, Kiên Giang and Sóc Trăng, in addition to Bạc Liêu, Cà Mau and Khánh Hòa provinces. 

To help people in areas affected by drought and saline intrusion, VNRC and the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Control and Prevention had appealed for donations for help victims of the severe drought and salt intrusion from March to end of August this year.

On March 18, the society called its members, local and international organisations and individuals to donate money or goods to help victims of the natural disaster in the Central, Central Highland and Cửu Long Delta regions.

Till the end of 2015, El Nino caused serious drought and saline intrusion in several provinces, damaging crops and affecting the lives of millions of people in Việt Nam. Up to 43 of 63 provinces and cities nationwide were affected by drought and salt intrusion.

Consequently, more than 900,000 people faced a shortage of clean water, especially in the Central, Central Highland and Mekong Delta regions. It is believed to be the most severe drought over the past 100 years in Việt Nam. — VNS