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Catastrophic floods hit Vietnam and Cambodia, killing at least 132 people
Hundreds of thousands of homes are submerged and at least 132 people have been killed as some of the worst flooding in decades hits Vietnam and Cambodia, affecting more than five million people. Flooding and landslides caused by seven consecutive tropical storms and torrential rainfall killed 105 people in Vietnam alone and washed away homes, livestock and crops, according to the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which is currently providing humanitarian aid to the region. Viet Nam Red Cross said that 690 000 poultry and livestock had been killed or swept away and nearly 200 000 homes were completely submerged. “These devastating floods are some of the worst we have seen in decades and they are dealing a staggering blow to the livelihoods of millions of people already reeling from hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said the organisation's president Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu. He said the Red Cross was ramping up relief operations, working alongside authorities to provide “immediate relief to people by boat, by air and on land, including food, safe water, tarpaulins and other essentials”. Conditions were very difficult, with roads cut off and infrastructure destroyed.
Tropical Storm Saudel will bring more torrential rain to areas of central Vietnam that are still experiencing heavy flooding. “We have grave fears that the flooding will go from bad to worse and that it [will] be overwhelming for even the most prepared and resilient communities, with many more typhoons and storms predicted in the next month,” Viet Nam Red Cross stated. The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) said the flooding was a “deadly double disaster” following COVID-19. “Hundreds of thousands of people are in urgent need of emergency shelter, safe drinking water, food and income support in the coming days and weeks to prevent a larger humanitarian crisis.” The IFRC added that it had provided about US$325 000 ($460 000) in aid relief so far. In neighbouring Cambodia, flash floods have killed at least 27 people since 19 October 2020 and adversely affected more than 532 000, cutting access to many hard-hit communities, USAID said. Video footage showed submerged homes and shops, people wading in neck-high water and families attempting to salvage their possessions by boat or makeshift rafts. Conditions are predicted to get worse for residents living close to the Mekong River. Cambodia's Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology said the water level in the Mekong would continue to rise over the next six days, causing additional severe flooding in many areas. Source: ABC |
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