US embassy cable - 05HANOI2569

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002569 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
USDOC FOR 4430/MAC/ASIA/OPB/VLC/HPPHO 
STATE FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA KEN ISAACS, GREG GOTTLIEB 
STATE FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA MICHAEL MARX, ROB THAYER, BART 
DEEMER 
STATE FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA DAA WILLIAM GARVELINK 
BANGKOK FOR OFDA SENIOR REGIONAL ADVISOR TOM DOLAN 
KATHMANDU FOR OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR WILLIAM BERGER 
GENEVA FOR USAID NANCY KYLOH 
USDA FOR FAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, EAID, ECON, ENRG, VM 
SUBJECT: VIETNAM HIT BY WORST TYPHOON IN TEN YEARS 
 
1.  Summary:  A typhoon has caused severe damage to coastal 
and mountainous areas of northern Vietnam.  While loss of 
lives was minimized due to the Government of Vietnam's (GVN) 
early preparation and evacuation efforts, an estimated 
200,000 people lack food and perhaps a greater number of 
people suffer drinking water shortages caused by seawater 
penetration in dug wells as far as three to four kilometers 
inland.  About 1,500 houses in the coastal area have been 
completely submerged while another 15,500 houses lack proper 
roofs.  According to Vietnam News Agency, Typhoon Damrey has 
caused an estimated VND 3.3 trillion (roughly USD 207 
million) in damages.  International organizations including 
UNDP, UNICEF, Red Cross and Oxfam have mobilized to provide 
emergency relief assistance.  The GVN has requested 
international assistance from foreign nations.  Mission 
Vietnam will continue to monitor the situation and is 
considering to request emergency disaster assistance.  End 
Summary. 
 
2.  On September 26, 2005, areas of northern Vietnam were 
hit by Typhoon Damrey (named Storm Number 7 in Vietnam), 
which the GVN has described as the "most vigorous" storm in 
the past ten years.  With wind forces reaching up to 132 
kilometers per hour, the storm reached wind speeds equal to 
Beaufort Scale 12 or Category Two hurricane.  The typhoon 
created storm surges of 3-4 meters in coastal provinces of 
Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh and 
Thanh Hoa and localized flash floods in the northern upland 
provinces of Yen Bai and Lao Cai. 
 
3.  According to Mr. Nguyen Tu Cuong of the People's Aid 
Coordinating Committee (PACCOM) of the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs (MOFA), as Typhoon Damrey approached the GVN 
conducted its first-ever major storm evacuation.  The GVN 
evacuated 600,000 people away from the coastline, reinforced 
sea dikes to ensure human safety and called 40,000 fishing 
vessels back to harbor.  As a result of the swift response 
to early storm warning systems and effectiveness of 
contingency plans funded over the past five years by 
USAID/OFDA, human losses in coastal areas were minimized, 
with less than ten deaths.  However, heavy rains that caused 
flash floods in upland areas raised the total number of 
confirmed casualties to 68 people as of October 2, 2005. 
 
4.  Damage to homes, livestock, crops and water supplies is 
relatively extensive within affected coastal districts. 
According to representatives of a GVN/Donor/NGO Disaster 
Management Working Group (DMWG), which met on October 2, an 
estimated 200,000 people lack food and perhaps a greater 
number of people suffer drinking water shortages caused by 
seawater penetration in dug wells as far as three to four 
kilometers inland.  About 1,500 houses in the coastal area 
have been completely submerged while another 15,500 houses 
lack proper roofs.  Hundreds of schools and public health 
clinics remain submerged or heavily damaged.  Saltwater and 
dead livestock contaminate water wells used for drinking. 
According to Vietnam News Agency report of October 2, 
Typhoon Damrey has caused an estimated VND 3.3 trillion 
(roughly USD 207 million) in damages to districts in 
Vietnam's northern mountains and coastal areas. 
 
5.  On September 28-29, DMWG disaster specialists from GVN, 
UNDP, UNICEF, IFRC and Oxfam UK conducted a rapid assessment 
to the worst affected coastal areas of Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh 
and Nam Dinh provinces.  Needs identified in the joint 
assessment report include: food; drinking water; pumps and 
technologies to purify contaminated water wells; medicine to 
prevent diseases (Note: Reuters allegedly reported localized 
cholera outbreak while a Ministry of Health representative 
denies that report); education materials for schoolchildren; 
"Household Kits" comprised of cooking materials, blankets, 
mosquito nets, etc.; clothing; and temporary shelters.  The 
DMWG members expressed particular concern for the socio- 
economic needs of these farming communities and food stock 
security due the long-term impact of seawater on crops and 
future income levels. 
 
6.  According to the MOFA representative, GVN has allocated 
VND 420 billion (USD 26 million) for disaster preparedness 
measures such as sea dike reinforcement and relief efforts 
including rice and dry noodles distributions.  (Comment: The 
Embassy is seeking confirmation of this figure.  End 
Comment.)  The Vietnam Red Cross and Buddhist organizations 
have launched fundraising campaigns.  The Fatherland Front 
has reportedly raised VND 18 billion (USD 1.1 million) from 
the overseas Vietnamese community. 
 
7.  Several international organizations have pledged support 
for disaster relief.  The International Federation of Red 
Cross and Red Crescent Societies is providing USD 500,000 to 
Vietnam Red Cross for food, shelter, and 900 boxes of 
Household Kits.  UNDP has mobilized USD 50,000 for 
coordination support and has pledged an additional USD 
100,000 in emergency relief funds.  UNDP is dispensing pre- 
positioned supplies/household kits while Oxfam UK has 
pledged USD 100,000 for assistance activities. 
 
8.  According to the MOFA representative attending the DMWG 
meeting, the Prime Minister has called upon foreign nations 
including those without embassies in Hanoi to provide 
emergency relief assistance.  The GVN has also requested 
support from DMWF to serve a donor coordination role. 
 
9. Mission Vietnam will continue to monitor the situation 
and is considering to request emergency disaster assistance. 
 
MARINE