The £500,000 of UK aid will be going to the International Federation of Red Cross through the British Red Cross Society and help scale up activities to provide shelter, clean water, food and support livelihoods to up to 160,000 affected in Viet Nam.

The aid is announced as part of a £1 million UK aid package to Viet Nam and the Philippines, which has also been impacted severely by recent typhoons and flooding.

Announcing the package, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Minister for Asia Nigel Adams said: “The typhoons that have hit the Philippines and Viet Nam have had a devastating impact on lives and livelihoods across the region”

THe £1 million aid package will help to deliver life-saving food, clean water and safe shelter to those who need it most and help both the Philippines and Viet Nam recover from such destructive natural disasters, he added.

British Ambassador to Viet Nam Gareth Ward extended his condolences to the people of Central Viet Nam for the tragic loss of life and the large-scale destruction of property.

The financial aid announced by the British Government will enable local agencies to assist the affected communities to recover, in support of the Vietnamese Government response, he said, affirming that: “We stand together with the Vietnamese people to overcome the challenges of this difficult time”.

Viet Nam has recently been hit by four typhoons resulting in significant flooding, landslides and damage to infrastructure. In central Viet Nam, over 1.3 million people have been severely affected, nearly 300,000 houses submerged and significant disruption which had already been impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.