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UNICEF donates money to flood relief efforts in Central Viet Nam

Countries
Viet Nam
Sources
UNICEF
Publication date

Hanoi, 8 November - The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has today given an additional 31,000 US dollars to the Vietnamese Red Cross, through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help with relief efforts in the central provinces badly affected by floods.
The money will be used for immediate needs of people living in these provinces including blankets noodles, rice, drinking water and other items. This follows an international appeal for aid launched by the IFRC less than a week ago. UNICEF will consider giving more aid to emergency efforts once there has been a needs assessment carried out of people affected by the floods.

"It is imperative that urgently required food and other items get to the people as quickly as possible," said Mr. Morten Giersing, UNICEF Representative in Viet Nam. "We are therefore channelling UNICEF funds to the Red Cross, who, with the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, have been given responsibility by the Vietnamese government for collecting and spending the money for victims of the floods in the central provinces," he said.

Last week UNICEF released 20,000 US dollars through the same channel, which has already been spent on instant noodles and relief goods that arrived in Hue on Saturday, 6th November.

It is estimated that 500 people have died and thousands more have been affected by the worst floods to hit central Viet Nam in a century. According to the Government, more than 1.5 million US dollars has been donated by the provinces, ministries, agencies and individuals.

For More Information Contact:
Damien Personnaz or Patricia McCullagh
UNICEF Communication Section
826 11 70

For more information on UNICEF, visit its website at http://www.unicef.org