VIETNAM: RELIEF OFFICIALS WARN OF NO QUICK END IN SIGHT TO MASSIVE FLOODS THAT HAVE CLAIMED MORE THAN 500 LIVES

Record ID: 208396

  • Title: VIETNAM: RELIEF OFFICIALS WARN OF NO QUICK END IN SIGHT TO MASSIVE FLOODS THAT HAVE CLAIMED MORE THAN 500 LIVES
  • Date: 21st October 2000
  • Summary: LONG AN PROVINCE, VIETNAM MEKONG DELTA (OCTOBER 21,2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS: FLOODED VILLAGE SEEN FROM PASSING RED CROSS MOTOR BOAT (3 SHOTS) 0.24 2. VARIOUS OF HOMELESS FLOOD VICTIMS CAMPED ON HIGHWAY (2 SHOTS) 0.32 3. MV: FAMILY 0.35 4. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Vietnamese) TRAN THI TRACH: "We suffer leaks when it's raining and heat when the sun is shining. I feel very sick and tired. When I got diarrhoea I took some medicine from the commune clinic and I'm alright." 0.51 5. SV/MV: A WOMAN COOKING/SHELTERS/VARIOUS OF FLOOD VICTIMS (2 SHOTS) 0.59 6. SV/CU: BOXES OF U.S. AID (2 SHOTS) 1.05 7. VARIOUS OF RED CROSS WORKERS ROLLING OUT AND SETTING UP PLASTIC TARPAULIN DONATED BY USAID (5 SHOTS) 1.37 8. SV'S: OLD WOMEN ADMIRING PLASTIC TARPAULIN (2 SHOTS) 1.46 9. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Vietnamese) NGUYEN THI SINH: "It's very durable, very good. We are very happy and we are not worried about rain and heat any more." 2.03 10. PAN: TEMPORARY SHELTERS 2.11 TAN SON NHAT AIRPORT, HO CHI MINH CITY (OCTOBER 20,2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11. SCU/SV: U.S AIRPLANE TAXIING ON THE TARMAC/RED CROSS AND MILITARY OFFICIALS WAITING (2 SHOTS) 2.18 12. VARIOUS: WATER PURIFICATION EEQUIPMENT BEING UNLOADED FROM PLANE RED/CROSS OFFICIALS AND MILITARY OFFICIALS (4 SHOTS) 2.47 13. SV/CU/SCU/SV: VIETNAMESE RED CROSS TEAM AND AMERICAN OFFICIALS EXAMINING THE WATER PURIFICATION EQUIPMENT (4 SHOTS) 3.09 14. SV/PAN: U.S. HO CHI MINH GENERAL CONSUL CHARLES RAY SHAKING HANDS WITH MRS.NGUYEN THI HOI, VICE PRESIDENT OF VIETNAM RED CROSS SOCIETY, DURING THE RECEIVING CEREMONY AT THE AIRPORT (2 SHOTS) 3.22 LONG AN PROVINCE, VIETNAM MEKONG DELTA (OCTOBER 21,2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 15. MV: WATER PURIFICATION EQUIPMENT CEREMONY TO HAND OVER WATER PURIFICATION EQUIPMENT TO LOCAL OFFICIALS 3.26 16. SV'S: PETER MICHELSON,REPRESENTATIVE OF INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS SHAKING HANDS WITH LOCAL OFFICIAL (2 SHOTS) 3.34 17. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) PETER MICHELSON: "The incidence of disease may increase. There could be problems with mosquito diseases such as malaria and dengue fever and there could be problems with intestinal diseases such as diarrhoea." 3.48 18. SV: LOCAL PEOPLE AT CEREMONY 3.52 19. SLV/PAN: FLOODED HOUSES/ MAN WADING THROUGH WATER (2 SHOTS) 4.04 20. MV: WOMAN SEATED IN FLOODED HOUSE 4.08 21. SV: DOG WADING THROUGH WATER 4.13 22. MV: PEOPLE ON RAFT 4.19 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 5th November 2000 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Vietnam
  • Country: Vietnam
  • Reuters ID: LVAE9E6E0AZBXZICKP38TS2KSSO
  • Story Text: Relief officials in Vietnam have warned there is no
    quick end in sight to massive floods that have killed more
    than 500 people. They said there was a possibility of even
    worse to come.



    Deaths caused by floods and storms nationwide in the
    past two months rose to 502, at least 296 of them children.

    Officials said the death toll in the Mekong Delta had hit 391
    by Friday (October 20), including 283 children.

    Mekong Delta water levels were receding slower than
    previously expected due to high sea tides.

    This meant extended misery for hundreds of thousands of
    people who have already been living in emergency shelters or
    swamped homes for more than six weeks.

    Most of an estimated 300,000 evacuees have had to camp for
    weeks on exposed dykes with only rudimentary shelter and
    little or no fresh water, raising fears of diseases such as
    cholera or diarrhoea.

    The United Nations said in a statement it was formally
    launching an appeal in Hanoi, Geneva and New York for an
    additional 9.43 million U.S. dollars for emergency relief for
    Vietnam, in addition to more than four million U.S. dollars
    already pledged.

    UNICEF has said it would seek 1.4 million U.S. dollars of
    this money to try to limit the number of child casualties,
    saying 70 percent of deaths so far in the worst-hit Mekong
    Delta region had been of children, most aged less than four.

    The elderly are also especially vulnerable. In Long An
    Province Tran Thi Trach, 63, said she had been suffering from
    diarrhoea and had received medicine from the commune's clinic.

    On Friday (October 20) afternoon, the U.S. Air Force flew
    two water purification tanks to Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son
    Nhat airport, each capable of supplying 10,000 people with
    fresh water daily.

    Another plane was due to fly in 13 heavy-duty rubber boats
    donated by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Nguyen Thi Sinh, 70, welcomed the arrival of tarpaulin
    sheets to protect people against the rain and sun.

    "It's very durable, very good. We are very happy and we are
    not worried about rain and heat any more", she said.

    Officials of the local and International Red Cross said
    the supplies would reduce the risk of serious outbreaks of
    waterborne diseases like diarrhoea and even cholera and help
    bring aid to families stranded in remote areas.

    But Nguyen Thi Hoi, vice-president of Vietnam's Red Cross,
    said it could be three months before millions already affected
    could resume normal lives.

    And Peter Michelson of the International Red Cross warned
    of a possible increase in mosquito-borne diseases such as
    malaria and dengue fever as well as more cases of diarrhoea.


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