Vietnam receives more flood aids from Australia, Switzerland, Thailand

The Australian embassy in Hanoi said on Friday its government will provide an additional AUD2 million ($1.45 million) to help Vietnam respond to the impacts of prolonged floods and landslides in the central region. The country had earlier provided AUD100,000 ($71,300).

The aid money will be used to meet urgent needs like providing clean water and sanitation and hygiene and dignity kits to affected people, and support the restoration of clean water supply to schools.

The Swiss embassy also announced grant of urgent aid worth CHF300,000 ($333,000) to help address the immediate needs of 160,000 people focusing on housing, livelihoods, healthcare, water, and hygiene.

In a phone call to Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Friday, his Thai counterpart, Prayut Chan-o-cha, offered $30,000 toward relief efforts.

The central region was repeatedly hit by torrential rains, widespread flooding and landslides triggered by four storms in October.

So far 235 people have been killed or are missing, almost 390,000 houses were flooded and more than 300,000 families have been evacuated, according to the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority.

Many people have lost almost all their household possessions or had their homes, food stocks, livestock, and crops badly damaged.

The Netherlands has pledged EUR2 million ($2.35 million) and the U.K. announced aid of £500,000 ($649,100) while the U.S. announced a donation of $2.1 million.