The Việt Nam Red Cross Society President Nguyễn Thị Xuân Thu and delegates make donations to help people affected by drought and saltwater intrusion in Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta region at a ceremony on Wednesday in Hà Nội. — VNS Photo Thanh Hải

HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam Red Cross Society (VNRC) has called on all of its members and community to support people affected by drought and saltwater intrusion in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta region and prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic in Việt Nam.

“I call on all levels of the VNRC across the country to actively implement activities to support and help people living in areas affected by drought, saltwater intrusion and participating in the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country,” said VNRC President Nguyễn Thị Xuân Thu at a ceremony on Wednesday in Hà Nội.

Thu said that VNRC is working with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Association to provide emergency relief to people affected by drought and saltwater intrusion in 12 communes of three provinces, including Bến Tre, Trà Vinh and Bạc Liêu with a total budget of over VNĐ2.5 billion (US$107,000).

It is expected that by the end of April 2020, 24,000 poor and near-poor households will be provided with clean water through a water purification system and 6,000 households with 20-litre water containers. Nearly 2,000 leaflets and posters on COVID-19 prevention will be distributed to the community and nearly 5,000 people will be instructed on practicing hygiene and strengthened awareness on clean water and disease prevention.

At the ceremony, the VNRC handed over masks and noodles to four provinces, including Quảng Ninh, Lào Cai, Bắc Giang and Ninh Binh, each getting 3,000 masks and 100 boxes of noodles.

The campaign will last 45 days, from March 18, 2020 to the end of April 30, 2020.

By March, saline intrusion has occurred at a high level in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta region, causing heavy losses to crops and livelihoods of people in the area, damaged over 35,600 hectares of rice and vegetables; over 12,000 households faced water shortage. All people in Bến Tre Province and over 66,000 households in Vĩnh Long Province are affected by saline water.

By March 10, 2020, five of 13 provinces in the region declared an emergency on drought and saltwater intrusion, including Bến Tre, Cà Mau, Kiên Giang, Long An and Tiền Giang, according to the VNRC. — VNS