ReliefWeb

Ref: DHAGVA - 97/0542

1. On 1 November 1997, a tropical low pressure storm in the South China Sea near Kalimantan escalated into Typhoon Linda. During the night of 2 November, the centre of Typhoon Linda hit the southern tip of Viet Nam (the area from Bac Lieu Province to Ca Mau Province) with wind velocities of 75 to 102 km/h (Beaufort Scale 9 to 10). On 3 November 1997, Typhoon Linda moved to the West and Northwest, away from Viet Nam, impacting also Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.

2. The UNDP-sponsored Disaster Management Unit in Viet Nam, Department of Dyke Management and Flood and Storm Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, provided the following preliminary information on the impact of the typhoon in 11 provinces as of 4 November 1997:

- 86 people reported killed, 153 injured, and 2,591 missing

- 1,380 boats reported sunk and 1,615 missing

- 5,939 houses destroyed and 127,291 damaged

- 453,509 hectares of rice paddy inundated.

3. According to information currently available, Ca Mau Province is worst affected with 27 deaths, 2,130 people missing, 115 injured, 117,241 houses damaged and 265,000 hectares of rice paddy inundated. Further assessments on the impact of the typhoon are ongoing and relief activities are under way.

4. UNDP is organizing a UN-Disaster Management Team (UN-DMT) meeting on 5 November to share updated information and possible preliminary needs assessment.

5. The Government of Switzerland announced a contribution of SF 500,000 (about US $360,000) for emergency relief assistance.

6. DHA is in close contact with the UNDP Resident Representative in Hanoi to monitor the situation and will revert with further information as it becomes available. To date, no official request for international assistance has been received by DHA.

Telephone number: + 41-22-917 12 34
In case of emergency only: Tel. + 41-22-917 20 10
Desk Officer: Ms. S. Metzner-Strack, DHA Relief Coordination Branch,
direct Tel. + 41-22-917 21 44
Press to contact: Ms. Moulin-Acevedo, direct Tel: + 41-22-917 28 56
Telex: 414242 DHA CH
Fax: + 41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: info@dha.unicc.org

= DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS +