Samaritan’s Purse is working in northern Vietnam in the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi to distribute aid and spread hope to the many people uprooted by the historic storm.
We have flown aid aboard our DC-8 and 757 aircraft in the wake of the historic storm to help thousands of Vietnamese people affected by the devastation.
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Strong winds and torrential rains caused Tran’s house to slide down a hillside in northern Vietnam. Had the 78-year-old woman not fled, she would likely be among the more than 250 people killed by Typhoon Yagi.
Just days later, Samaritan’s Purse staff were canvassing flooded streets and neighborhoods to check on families and distribute emergency supplies like life jackets, flashlights and whistles.
“I lost everything,” Tran lamented through tears. “My house, my furniture, my crops and my livestock… everything I had was swept away in the landslide.”
Tran stands in front of his collapsed house, one of 235,000 homes destroyed by Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam.
Two weeks ago, Typhoon Yagi hit communities like Tran’s in northern Vietnam. It was the largest storm to hit the Southeast Asian country in three decades. Winds of nearly 160 km/h destroyed homes and businesses, and torrential rains caused landslides in mountainous regions in several provinces around Hanoi, the country’s capital.
Floodwaters took days to recede in low-lying areas, crippling local infrastructure and destroying more than 80,000 hectares of arable land.
Tran was among many people left homeless in Vietnam after fleeing for their lives. She escaped to the home of nearby relatives, but with no electricity or clean water, the future looked bleak.
Typhoon Yagi intensified as it moved across the South China Sea and eventually made landfall in northern Vietnam on September 7.
We bring air aid and serve those suffering in Vietnam
Our DC-8 aircraft arrived in the region this week with an additional 20 tons of emergency supplies, including solar lamps, water filters, jerry cans and cooking kits to supply approximately 3,000 families. These items are being distributed to those most in need. Our 757 aircraft is on its way with an additional load of essential aid.
Tran was among the many Vietnamese who received help thanks to the work of our teams.
“Thank you, Samaritan’s Purse, for providing these very important items at this time,” she said. “I am so happy and touched by your care.”
Tran sits behind supplies she received from Samaritan’s Purse: a water filtration system, a solar lamp and a cooking kit.
Tran and his family can now filter contaminated water, cook with new cooking utensils after losing their own, and use the solar lamp to see at night until the power is restored.
Samaritan’s Purse has worked in Vietnam for more than 25 years and has built strong relationships with local organizations and communities. That’s why our staff was prepared to respond to the hardest hit areas and help meet critical needs in the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi.
A Samaritan’s Purse staff member instructs residents in Cao Bang Province on how to use a homemade water filter.
“Staff have traveled more than 600 miles along rugged mountain trails to reach remote homes with this essential aid,” said Dave Kletzing, director of Samaritan’s Purse in Vietnam.
Dave and his family took shelter at home during Yagi and were shocked to see the damage it caused.
“Yagi brought a lot of distress, confusion and urgency. Villages were under water, cities lost power and there were landslides everywhere,” she said. “But God has put Samaritan’s Purse here for one reason: to serve.”
More than 3,000 families have received assistance from Samaritan’s Purse since our DC-8 aircraft arrived on September 16.
Help and hope in the midst of anguish
Like Tran and thousands of others in northern Vietnam, Lee, a local resident, and her family of four were also displaced by the typhoon. The historic storm wiped out everything they owned, but the days afterward proved to be just as painful.
“My house and my sister’s house have been completely destroyed,” said Lee, who now lives in her mother’s small house with eight other family members. This was just the beginning of her troubles: “The local water source has become contaminated; it smells like rotting animal carcasses and has given my sister skin diseases.”
Although her home is in ruins, Lee looks to the future with hope, deeply grateful for the help provided by Samaritan’s Purse.
Our water filters provided Lee and his family with the clean water they desperately needed.
“These items are very helpful and needed during these difficult times,” Lee said. “Thank you, Samaritan’s Purse.”
As our 757 heads to the region with more relief supplies, please pray for the safety of our staff, our partners, and local residents. Please pray that supplies will reach the hands of those who need them most. Please also pray for our staff who continue to serve displaced families in northern Vietnam.
Please pray for the thousands in Vietnam facing a difficult journey to recovery.
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Hurricane relief Samaritan’s Purse responds to the urgent needs of families devastated by the wind, rain, and storm surge of catastrophic hurricanes and typhoons. We come alongside hurting people to bring emergency relief and practical help in the Name of Jesus Christ.
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