The Australian government has committed a further AUD2 million in support for Vietnam in response to the impacts of prolonged, widespread floods and landslides in the central provinces.

An aerial view of houses in Quang Tri province, central Vietnam, inundated in October. Photo: VNA

This adds to an early contribution of AUD100,000 by the Aussie government toward initial humanitarian efforts.

Australian support will help meet urgent needs including clean water and sanitation, and provide hygiene and dignity kits for affected communities. It will also support the restoration of clean water supply to schools, while helping children to continue their education as communities rebuild and recover.

In a call between Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator Marise Payne, and Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh, last week, Ms. Payne expressed Australia’s condolences to the Vietnamese people for the tragic loss of life and extensive damage resulting from the floods and landslides.

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Robyn Mudie said Australia’s contribution to relief efforts underway in Vietnam’s central provinces would be delivered through humanitarian partners already working to support affected communities on the ground, including UNICEF and non-government organizations through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership.

“The relationship between Vietnam and Australia will always be strong in the face of challenges,” Ambassador Mudie said. “When Australia experienced devastating bushfires last summer, we felt the outpouring of support from the government and people of Vietnam. We know from our own experience of natural disasters that the road to recovery will be long and challenging, and we stand with our Vietnamese partners at this time.”

Australia has also redirected resources through its CSIRO-led Aus4Innovation program toward relief efforts, with UTS Rapido Vietnam providing water treatment systems to communities in need.

Due to consecutive storms in October, more than 300 people in Vietnam have lost their lives or gone missing, more than 350,000 households have been significantly damaged, and essential community infrastructure including schools and health centers have been damaged or destroyed.