Four central provinces will receive assistance in coping with natural disasters under the third phase of a project sponsored by the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), which was launched during a workshop held on June 25.

At the launching workshop

With a budget of 2.9 million USD, the third phase will be carried out until March 2021.

It will be coordinated by the US Red Cross and expected to benefit more than 180,400 people in 20 wards and communes of Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Ha Tinh and Quang Tri provinces, which are frequently hit by impacts of climate change.

Addressing the event, President of the Vietnam Red Cross Society Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu said the project has contributed to the mitigation of natural disaster risks and climate change adaptation in the region.

This phase will focus on community-based natural disaster risk control in rural and urban areas. Local authorities will also be assisted to integrate natural disaster risk control into annual local socio-economic development plans. 

At the same time, the project will upgrade early warning systems, and build disaster-proof houses. 

The first and second phase of the project, from October 2015 to October 2018, was carried out in 31 wards and communes of the four provinces at a total cost of 4 million USD, helping more than 671,400 local residents.