Vietnam launches campaign to build over 1,500 homes for flood victims

At a high-level meeting held on Saturday in Dak Lak Province, PM Chinh directed ministries and four flood-ravaged localities, namely Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Khanh Hoa, and Lam Dong, to rapidly stabilize daily life, restore production and business, and rebuild housing after devastating floods.

Under the order, the campaign begins on December 1 and must complete all new homes for families whose houses were completely washed away or collapsed by January 31, 2026.

All damaged homes must be repaired before December 31, while flood-affected households are required to have their basic living conditions stabilized before December 10.

Authorities estimate that more than 1,500 new houses will be built nationwide under the campaign.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the six-day flood disaster caused nearly VND16.2 trillion (US$614 million) in damage, leaving 98 people dead and 10 missing.

Almost 1,000 houses were completely destroyed and nearly 3,400 others were severely damaged.

To help residents rebuild quickly, Military Region 5 has been committed to constructing 100 houses.

The Military Region 5 Command is responsible for organizing, building, managing, and commanding the armed forces in five central and Central Highlands localities, including Da Nang, Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, and Quang Ngai.

In Dak Lak Province, troops will build 55 units in the Song Cau and Tuy Hoa defense zones.

From early December, soldiers from Division 2, Division 315, Brigade 572, and military commands in Dak Lak, Quang Ngai, and Da Nang will begin rebuilding homes.

In Gia Lai Province, the provincial military command will construct 30 houses, the Naval Region 3 will build 35, and the Coast Guard Region 2 will construct 25.

In Khanh Hoa Province, the provincial military command will build 15 houses and Brigade 5 of the Special Forces will add another 25.

Funding for the homes will come from the central and local budgets, businesses, and other sources.

Each new house will cost at least VND170 million ($6,500).

Military Region 5 has already deployed 100 construction teams, each with 12-15 officers and soldiers, including skilled builders.

The Ministry of National Defense will provide additional support to build more than 200 houses through its subordinate units.

In total, about 300 houses will be built directly by the military across Dak Lak, Gia Lai, and Khanh Hoa.

Major General Tran Thanh Hai, deputy commander of Military Region 5, ordered local authorities to identify eligible households accurately, secure safe land plots, prepare construction materials, and ensure accommodation and transport for construction teams.

A forward command post will be established in Dak Lak’s Tuy Hoa to coordinate the entire operation.

All units must break ground simultaneously from December 1 to meet the January 31, 2026 handover target so families can celebrate Tet, or Vietnamese Lunar New Year, in safe homes.

In Da Nang, the city’s military command on Monday morning sent nearly 100 officers and soldiers with construction expertise to Dak Lak as part of the campaign.

Colonel Tran Huu Ich, commander of the Da Nang Military Command, instructed the force to maintain discipline and safety, work efficiently, and complete repairs before Tet.

Ich stressed that the soldiers must support residents without causing additional hardship, under the guiding principle: “Wherever there is hardship, the soldiers are there.”

In Dak Lak alone, 684 homes were completely destroyed. The province aims to rebuild all of them before January 15, 2026, earlier than the prime minister’s deadline, said Cao Dinh Huy, director of the Dak Lak Department of Construction.

With each house expected to cost about VND170 million ($6,500), total funding is estimated at around VND116 billion ($4.4 million).

Nearly 1,500 additional damaged houses will also be repaired at about VND40 million ($1,510) per unit, with completion targeted for December 15.

For heavily flooded homes, the Dak Lak Department of Construction has designed raised anti-flood floors costing around VND100 million ($3,800), for tens of thousands of affected homes, with implementation planned for later phases.

In Khanh Hoa Province, the provincial police department on Monday also launched construction of eight new homes for eight families whose houses were completely destroyed, with each unit funded at more than VND100 million ($3,800) and scheduled for handover before December 31, Thanh Nien (Youth) newspaper reported.

In Lam Dong Province, more than 3,000 homes were affected, including 76 that collapsed or were swept away, according to Lao Dong (Labor) newspaper.

The provincial administration approved support of VND120 million ($4,550) per destroyed house, with funding already secured for rapid disbursement.