UN helps Vietnam surmount typhoon Damrey consequences

The fund will benefit 150,000 people, including 46,973 children, in six affected provinces.

Typhoon Damrey made landfall on November 4, causing widespread flooding and destruction across the central and south-central regions of the country. An estimated 4.33 million people have been affected, including 400,000 who require emergency humanitarian assistance. 

An Emergency Cash Grant of US$100,000 from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) was allocated on November 15 to support immediate relief operations. 

The additional CERF funding is used by four UN agencies - FAO, IOM, UNDP and UNICEF - to meet the most urgent needs of affected communities. The agencies will provide people whose homes have been damaged with shelter materials and cash grants to make repairs; water filtration systems and hygiene kits to prevent the spread of disease; and unconditional cash transfers and vouchers to compensate for the loss of livelihoods and to procure agricultural supplies.

“The UN’s CERF funds will cover immediate life-saving needs and support time-critical interventions over the next six months,” said Kamal Malhotra, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam.