Samaritan's Purse is delivering emergency supplies to the people of Vietnam after tropical storms brought catastrophic rainfall.
Heavy rains have pounded central Vietnam in recent weeks, resulting in some of the country’s worst flooding in decades. More than 170 people have died, dozens remain missing, and hundreds of thousands of homes are destroyed.
Communities already hard-hit by devastating rains were dealt yet another blow when both Tropical Storm Saudel and Typhoon Molave slammed into the Southeast Asian nation within days of each other. In addition to torrential rain, these storms also brought high winds and triggered landslides.
Thousands of families have been displaced in central Vietnam.
Samaritan’s Purse will be providing more than 1,000 displaced households with warm blankets, mosquito nets, kitchen supplies, and hygiene kits.
“This is especially vital support during the upcoming malaria season and with the ongoing COVID-19 concerns,” said Dave Kletzing, Vietnam country director for Samaritan’s Purse. “It’s our prayer that these supplies will encourage families while also providing life-saving support as they recover from the recent damage to their homes and prepare for upcoming storms.”
Two more tropical storms are headed toward Vietnam and expected to bring more heavy rainfall.
More than 1.5 million people have already been affected by the storms, including students of more than 360 schools that have flooded. Many acres of flooded crops mean that farming families are left without their primary source of income.
“Samaritan’s Purse has walked alongside the vulnerable to relieve suffering, build capacity, and bring hope for nearly 20 years in Vietnam,” Dave said. “This is most evident during a time of crisis.”
Hard-Hit in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia as a region has been pummeled during this year’s rainy season. In addition to Vietnam, flooding has also caused devastation throughout Cambodia. At least 19 of the nation’s 25 provinces have experienced flooding, with more than 140,000 people affected. Several small dams have even collapsed under the strain of the consistent, heavy rains.
Samaritan’s Purse is responding in northwest Cambodia in Battambang Province by distributing supplies such as hygiene kits and offering food assistance.
Please pray for our teams as they serve hurting people in desperate need. Pray for the Vietnamese and Cambodian families who are struggling to move forward in the aftermath of these catastrophic floods.
