HA NOI — A national television programme entitled For our beloved Central Region was broadcast on Saturday to share sympathy for victims of the two storms that hit the northern part of the region.
Speaking on the programme, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan said: "The Government's first concern has always been the situation of people in the storm area because this area has suffered from the biggest loss ever." He called on every one to contribute to help the victims.
After the programme finished, donation of more than US$2.4 million were received.
The two floods severely damage several provinces, including Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Nghe An. The second storm left 77 dead and five missing.
Nghe An's relief committee worked hard over the past weeks to collect and distribute donations. Country leaders, organisations and individuals visited the region to help and show sympathies to the victims and Red Cross staff distributed relief, even when many areas were still under deep water.
On Saturday, Viet Nam Fatherland Front president Huynh Dam visited the family of Dang Huu Ky.
Ky, 58, died in the flood while trying to relocate people in a Ha Tinh village where he was chief.
International organisations and foreign governments have also donated money for flood victims. The Republic of Korea's Government decided to send $100,000 while the Japanese Government will grant emergency relief goods worth $240,000.
Meanwhile, fishing boats and crew were still missing in the region, said Nguyen Van Ap, chairman of Hau Loc District of Thanh Hoa Province.
There was still no news of Nguyen Van Hop, his fishing boat TH 90455TS and nine crew since they received the warning on October 16 of an impending flood, he said.
Hop had informed other boats of the situation and announced that he was headed back to port but his boat has not been seen since.
This was despite the search efforts of local authorities and families of the boatmen.
In other flood news, the driver of a bus that sank in flood waters last Monday, in which 20 people drowned or are missing, has been prosecuted in Ha Tinh for "violations", police said.
It was alleged that driver Tran Van Truong, 35, drove the bus into the flood.
Later the same day, Nghi Xuan District police found a dead body floating on the Lam River, which was suspected to have been either one of the five bus passengers unaccounted for or one of eight other people in the area listed as missing.
Meanwhile, the Central Weather Forecast Centre has warned of another cold front moving through the north, which was expected to bring rain and storms to the central area today. — VNS
