First int’l relief supplies reach Hanoi to support disaster-hit areas
This is the first batch of international emergency aid sent to Vietnam’s flood-affected localities triggered by Typhoons Bualoi and Matmo, killing more than 70 people between September and October.
THE HANOI TIMES — A shipment of relief supplies from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) arrived at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on October 13 to assist flood-hit residents in the northern province of Bac Ninh.
The aid package including 40 water purifiers, 5,100 sets of blankets, 1,000 water tanks and 50 multi-purpose plastic sheets will be transported to Bac Ninh this morning [October 14] for people in need.
Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki (center) and Chief Representative of JICA Vietnam Office Kobayashi Yosuke (right) hand over relief supplies to the Vietnamese side at Noi Bai International Airport. Photo: The Embassy of Japan in Hanoi
At the handover ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki extended his heartfelt condolences to the victims in the northern and central provinces and expressed hope that the affected areas would soon recover and resume normal life and production activities.
expressed his sincere condolences to the victims in the northern and central provinces and said that the hard-hit areas would soon resume their daily lives and production activities.
He reaffirmed that the Japanese Government will keep supporting Vietnam to enhance its capacity for natural disaster prevention and climate change adaptation.
"A friend in need is a friend indeed," the ambassador said, expressing his hope that the emergency supplies will be quickly delivered to the affected people and help them ease their hardships.
Nguyen Van Tien, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, conveyed profound gratitude for Japan’s timely and meaningful support, affirming that the agency will ensure the relief goods are promptly delivered to flood-affected communities for restoring their livelihoods.
Kobayashi Yosuke, Chief Representative of JICA Vietnam Office, stated: “We are committed to supporting the Vietnamese people during this difficult time. We hope that this emergency assistance will reach those in need as quickly as possible and contribute to their recovery.”
This assistance reflects the strong partnership and solidarity between Japan and Vietnam in times of crisis, Kobayashi Yosuke stressed.
Other international organizations' financial and material assistance
In addition to Japan’s assistance, Vietnam plans to receive humanitarian aid from other international organizations. The relief packages will include essential supplies to be allocated to the northern localities wreaked havoc by recent storms and floods.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment on October 13 said that within five days of issuing an appeal for support, multiple international partners had planned to deliver relief supplies to help Vietnam recover from the recent natural disasters.
Japan's first relief shipment arrives in Hanoi's international airport on October 13. Photo: The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched an emergency response operation, delivering 852,000 water purification tablets to northern and central provinces severely affected by the two typhoons.
UNICEF plans to send 4,500 boxes of bottled water and 600 plastic water tanks to the northern provinces of Lang Son or Cao Bang.
Save the Children has donated VND500 million (US$20,000) to support families in central province of Ha Tinh. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has provided 4,000 bottles of water and 350 sets of essential items.
The Australian Government has contributed 756 personal hygiene kits, 320 kitchen sets, 30 blankets and 756 home repair toolkits to the northern province of Bac Ninh. The supplies are expected to arrive at Noi Bai Airport on October 14.
The ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Center) will deliver 2,800 household kits, 2,000 hygiene kits and 3,176 kitchen sets worth $216,000 to the northern province of Cao Bang next week.
ActionAid is completing procedures to provide VND480 million ($19,000) in aid to the northern province of Tuyen Quang.
Relief shipments from Russia are en route to Noi Bai Airport. Canada has pledged $50,000 via a non-governmental organization, while the US Embassy, the European Union and Meta (Facebook) are also preparing assistance packages for disaster-affected communities in Vietnam.
A report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment said that over the past two and a half months, Vietnam had endured five storms making landfall. The most recent two, Bualoi and Matmo, triggered historic flooding and widespread devastation.
Since the beginning of 2025, natural disasters have left 238 people dead or missing and some 400 injured, and caused an estimated US$1.3 billion in economic losses. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has warned that up to three more storms may hit Vietnam by the end of this year.
