World Vision Responds to Typhoon Haiyan In Vietnam and Laos

World Vision is making preparations to provide emergency assistance to Vietnam which also bore some of the brunt from Typhoon Haiyan.

After killing over 4000 people and causing mass destruction in the Philippines the Typhoon headed on to Vietnam causing the Vietnamese government to evacuate nearly 100,000 people from Danag and Quang Nai provinces in the centre of the country.

World Vision stands ready to provide emergency assistance with Super Typhoon Haiyan expected to make landfall in Vietnam on Sunday morning.

Both Vietnam and Laos are still recovering from a series of tropical storms which hit both countries in recent months and Haiyan has worsened the situation particularly since both countries are in the middle of the annual rice harvest.

Vietnam and Laos are already reeling from a series of tropical storms in recent months, and Typhoon Haiyan may worsen the situation, especially as both countries are in the midst of their annual rice harvest.

“We are working closely with government counterparts and communities to prepare for the storm, including the reinforcement of homes and to stockpile food and water supplies,” says Mr. Le Van Duong, World Vision Vietnam’s National Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Coordinator

Laos has also borne the brunt of a number of storms during the rainy season which has resulted in landslides and floods across the country.

As recently as September, World Vision had to respond to a mass flood which occurred in the south of the country affecting nearly 66,000 people destroying hundreds of hectares of rice. World Vision sought to provide food and clean drinking water as well as emergency medical kits immediately following the flood and continues to support communities that were affected with livelihood recovery projects.

World Vision works throughout Vietnam and supports 71,500 Vietnamese children through a sponsorship program. The organisation is also heavily involved in Laos where it supports over 40,000 kids.

“In all tropical storms and typhoons, it’s the poor and marginalised who are the worst affected. We will continue to focus on helping children and their families from vulnerable communities get through this storm and strengthen their resilience for future disasters,” says Ian Dawes, World Vision Lao PDR Operations Director.

Image Courtesy of World Vision