Summary of Tropical Storms Noul (September) and Nangka (October)

Our staff and volunteers are sending us updates about the tropical storms that have devastated Thừa Thiên-Huế over the past four weeks. With heavy rains, high speed winds, flooding, and landslides, these tropical storms have torn apart much agricultural lands, buildings, roads, and infrastructure.

In mid-September, Tropical Storm Noul hit Central Vietnam with extremely heavy rains and high wind speeds. There was loss of life both during the storm and after the storm had weakened as people tried to repair their broken, and the damages to buildings, agriculture, and infrastructure are tremendous (see below for details). Noul downgraded to a tropical depression, but ongoing rains led to flooding and infrastructure issues and further damage all over the Thừa Thiên-Huế and neighboring provinces.

Before anyone had time to recover, another Tropical Storm Nangka arrived with even higher wind speeds, compounding the problems from Noul. On top of the damage from this storm (i.e., roofs blowing off, cell towers losing electricity, etc.), the water levels rose to a record high and stayed, leaving many trapped inside their flooded homes.

We are still collecting data, but here is what we know as of 10/14 (we are updating as we receive information from our local staff):

With over 21.8 million USD estimated damages, in addition to lives lost and damaged homes, tens of thousands of people are now faced with little to no access to electricity, food, clean water, medical care, and shelter, while the water still has not receded. The only way to get around is by boat, and as the storm is still going, it isn’t a safe option.

VANGO Network is working with our local staff and partners to immediately respond to this disaster. This destruction is all over Thừa Thiên-Huế and its neighboring provinces, but we’ll be focusing our efforts on our HIPE families first. We’ve been working in this area since 2010, and it’s breaking our hearts to see the youth and families that we’ve grown to love as our own this way, especially because we’re all stuck on the other side of the world.

Many of their homes and property have sustained damage, yes. But right now, they need food, water, and sanitation.

Please join us to support these families through this time.

From our staff & volunteers

Delivering relief kits:

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

This video was taken from the front steps of Như Hồng’s house. Như Hồng has been full-time staff for almost a year now and before that was a PHE from the very first cohort of HIPE. In many ways, her family is lucky because their house is still in tact. But all that water…should not be there.

In the news