US ambassador visits disaster-affected families in northern Vietnam

“I’m very pleased to see the progress that has been made in Lang Son, and proud that the United States has contributed US$1.75 million in humanitarian assistance to support Vietnam’s flood and storm recovery efforts,” Ambassador Knapper said.

“This response reflects the great value we place on our partnership with Vietnam and the importance of standing by our partners during difficult times,” he added.

The ambassador was accompanied by representatives of World Vision International in Vietnam (WVIV), an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people, especially children, who are marginalized and living in poverty.

According to WVIV, the visit formed part of the 2025 Humanitarian Assistance Response in Northern Vietnam project, funded by the U.S. government with a budget of $500,000.

The project is being implemented by WVIV from October 2025 to April 2026, providing essential supplies and cash assistance to more than 3,000 households to improve access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene.

So far, the project has distributed 1,500 hygiene kits, 1,500 household kits, 420 water storage tanks and 225 water filters to flood-affected families in Lang Son and Cao Bang Provinces.

In addition, 88 households have received cash assistance to purchase water, sanitation and healthcare equipment.

To ensure transparency and accountability, WVIV has worked closely with local authorities to establish feedback mechanisms, including hotlines, email, QR codes and suggestion boxes at distribution points, allowing beneficiaries to raise concerns or provide feedback.

Luong Van Binh, vice-chairman of Yen Binh Commune’s administration, said 2025 has been an especially challenging year, with storm Matmo, the 11th storm to hit the East Vietnam Sea this year, causing severe damage to property and livelihoods.

“The timely support and attention from the international community and Vietnamese authorities has been a great source of encouragement, helping local residents overcome the hardship,” he said.

Khai, a local resident in Yen Binh, said his family received a water filter through the project.

“After the storm, access to clean water was extremely difficult. Thanks to the water filter, we now have safe water for daily use, which helps protect our family’s health,” he said.

“The support not only helped us get through the hardship but also reduced our financial burden,” he added.

Doseba Sinay, national director of WVIV, said the organization is implementing two emergency response programs addressing recent disasters in Vietnam’s northeastern provinces, including Lang Son, as well as responding to storm Kalmaegi and flooding in Da Nang and Quang Ngai in central Vietnam.

In the coming period, WVIV will continue to mobilize resources, strengthen cooperation with local authorities and enhance disaster risk reduction efforts, while maintaining emergency relief support for affected communities.

According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, storm Matmo’s circulation combined with southeastern winds from the subtropical high-pressure system caused extremely heavy rainfall across northeastern provinces including Lang Son, Cao Bang, Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh, and Hanoi.

Total rainfall from October 6-7 ranged from 200mm to 400mm, with some locations in Thai Nguyen experiencing over 560mm.

As of 1:00 pm on October 15, local reports indicated that the floods had left 18 people dead or missing, while 16 people were injured.

Total economic losses from storm Matmo and subsequent flooding are estimated at nearly VND17 trillion ($645 million), the ministry said.