On behalf of Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ presents gifts for people in flood-hit Tân Hoá Commune in Quảng Bình Province’s Minh Hoá District. —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has announced 2,000 tonnes of rice from the national reserve as food aid for residents in the central provinces of Quảng Bình and Hà Tĩnh who suffered serious flooding.
Accordingly, 1,000 tonnes of rice will be delivered to each province.
Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ was assigned to direct flood relief work in the two localities.
Earlier, PM Phúc sent a letter to rescue forces, soldiers and locals in the flood-hit provinces, expressing his sympathy and asking all-out efforts to deal with the consequences of the floods.
He ordered local authorities to take measures to help communities get back on their feet soon.
In early September, torrential rains brought by a tropical depression were recorded from Nghệ An to Thừa Thiên-Huế. In many areas, total rainfall rose to over 1,000mm, causing widespread flooding in low areas, leading to heavy losses in human lives and property.
As of the evening on September 5, the death toll due to flooding rose to six while 10 others remained missing in the provinces.
The hardest-hit localities were Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình and Quảng Trị.

Aid packages

Deputy PM Huệ and a delegation on Saturday paid a visit to Tân Hóa Commune in Quảng Bình Province’s Minh Hóa District which was seriously affected by the flooding. The damage was estimated at over VNĐ15 billion (US$644,000).

The Deputy PM presented gifts to teachers of Tân Hóa Primary School, which experienced serious inundation, encouraging them to overcome difficulties so that lessons would take place soon.

According to Trần Công Thuật, chairman of Quảng Bình People’s Committee, the flood has left two people dead and thousands of houses inundated.

The deputy PM asked the provincial authority and Minh Hóa District to quickly help children return to school soon. He said the province should proactively handle environmental issues, prevent epidemics and ensure food and drinking water.

He urged them to promptly calculate losses and ensure farmers get enough seeds for the next crop.

Also on Sunday, the Việt Nam Red Cross Society Central Committee (VRCS) presented aid packages to families in the central province of Quảng Trị, who were affected by heavy rains and flooding from September 2 to 5.
The victims, living in Thanh and Thuận communes in Hướng Hóa mountainous district, were given 150 boxes of household items, each worth VNĐ650,000 ($28); 100 water purifying systems worth VNĐ200,000 each; and 50 school bags that could be used as flotation devices, each worth VNĐ250,000.
Hồ Tả Pô, Chairman of the People’s Committee in Thuận commune, said the natural calamity had damaged local farming areas, forced 95 households to evacuate, and flooded 35 houses.
He said the VRCS’s assistance would help residents recover from such consequences.
The VRCS handed over a total of 500 boxes of household items for affected families in other localities across Quảng Trị. — VNS