Ha Noi, 13 September 2024 – Today, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) handed 700 gender- and disability-sensitive household kits to Viet Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to support communities in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai, which has been severely affected by Typhoon Yagi. This initial donation is part of UNDP’s ongoing efforts to assist the government and people to recover from the most powerful typhoon hitting Viet Nam in three decades.

The kits contain items thoroughly selected to alleviate the hardships faced by the most vulnerable population in Yen Bai, responding to the specific needs of affected communities who lost their belongings and providing them with immediate relief in the early stages of response. These kits include water buckets, rain boots for adults and children, blankets, medicine, sanitary pads, whistles, and other essential supplies.

Super Typhoon Yagi made landfall in Viet Nam on 7 September, causing widespread destruction across 26 coastal and northern provinces. The typhoon brought torrential rains, with some areas receiving over 400 millimetres of precipitation, exacerbating severe flooding and triggering landslides and flash floods in the northern mountainous region and provinces in the Red River Delta. The devastation has left many communities in despair.

As a key member of the Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership (DRRP), the Disaster Management Working Group (DMWG), and the in-country United Nations Disaster Risk Management Team (DRMT), UNDP has been at the forefront of the response to Typhoon Yagi. UNDP has been closely monitoring the impact of the typhoon and the resulting floods, leading two out of three rapid joint assessment teams deployed to the most severely affected provinces, including Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Yen Bai, and Lao Cai, and carrying out rapid emergency response actions.

During the handover ceremony, UNDP Resident Representative Ramla Khalidi extended her deepest condolences to the Government of Viet Nam and all those affected by the devastation caused by Typhoon Yagi. She acknowledged the profound loss and suffering that the typhoon has inflicted upon communities across the northern mountainous region and the Red River Delta, praising the spirit of unity and solidarity displayed by the nation as it faced the typhoon.

“We commend the Government's swift and decisive leadership in responding to this disaster, particularly in coordinating relief operations and ensuring the safety and resilience of affected populations,” said Ramla Khalidi. “UNDP stands ready to support Viet Nam in undertaking intersectoral needs assessment, emergency relief, as well as early recovery planning, and long-term resilience building. Recovery efforts must include the voices of those most affected. By consulting with communities and ensuring that gender- and disability-sensitive plans are in place, we can create solutions that meet the needs of all populations.”

“The Government of Viet Nam and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development highly appreciate UNDP long-term and active contribution to the sustainable development goals of Viet Nam, especially your early, determined and effective support for the emergency relief activities and early recovery planning in responding to the extreme impact of Typhoon no. 3 (Typhoon Yagi),” said Ms. Doan Thi Tuyet Nga, representative of the Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership (MARD). “As one of the most active members in the Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership (DRRP) in responding to the incident at early stages, UNDP has shown the acts of empathy and good wills to stand with the people and the Government of Viet Nam through this hard time”.

UNDP’s longstanding commitment to disaster risk reduction and emergency response in Viet Nam has been instrumental in addressing the challenges posed by Typhoon Yagi. In close collaboration with the Government, the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Viet Nam, and other partners, UNDP stands ready to provide further emergency assistance and early recovery support, including livelihood interventions and rehabilitation efforts, particularly focusing on housing and social infrastructure.

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For more information, please contact:  
Nguyen Viet Lan, UNDP Communications Lead  
Phone: 0914436769  
Email: nguyen.viet.lan@undp.org