Under the decision, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Thua Thien-Hue, and Kon Tum will be allocated VND 50 billion each while Quang Tri and Binh Dinh will receive VND 70 billion each.

Quang Ngai and Quang Nam, the hit hardest localities, will be allocated with VND 150 billion and VND 130 billion respectively.

The funding shall be used in the following order of priority:

+ To carry out search and rescue work, support families affected by storms and flooding, conduct urgent citizen evacuation, and support agricultural production.

+ Repair key infrastructure facilities, including schools, medical establishments, and dykes, heavily damaged by storms, flooding, and landslides.

Last week, the Government also decided to allocate VND80 billion (more than US$3 million) from the State budget reserve as relief aid to three Central localities, namely Quang Nam, Thua Thien-Hue, and Quang Tri.

In late October, the Government had allocated VND500 billion (more than US$23 million) from the State budget reserve as immediate relief aid to five Central localities heavily affected by flooding and heavy rains.

According to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), due to unprecedented rains and floods over the last two months in Viet Nam, over 7.7 million people living in nine Central provinces have been affected.

More than 2.5 million children are at risk of diseases due to the lack of access to drinking water and hygienic environment.

Approximately 380,000 houses have been flooded, damaged or destroyed. Many families have had their houses blown off and all their furniture and possessions washed away./.