World Vision will provide aid in the form of rice and iron sheeting to villagers in the central province of Quang Tri after Typhoon Mekkala hit the area on Tuesday (September 30).

Families in Vinh Linh District will receive rice for ten days and iron sheeting to repair their damaged homes.

Typhoon Mekkala, known as Typhoon No.7 in Vietnam, hit central coastal areas from Ha Tinh and Quang Tri Provinces in the country at 10 am on September 30 before it weakened into a low tropical pressure and moved toward Laos. The typhoon killed 6 people, and left 11 others missing in Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Quang Binh and Quang Tri, says the national media.

The typhoon ripped roof tops off some 140 houses, submerged 161 ha of rice fields and damaged nearly 1,500 ha of rubber and pepper trees, sweet potatoes, cassava, fruit trees and forest trees in Vinh Linh, according to initial statistics of the district.

Disaster Preparedness saves lives

World Vision has been partnering with local authorities to teach villagers, school children and rescue teams how to better prepare for reoccurring storms and floods – the most frequent type of disasters to strike Vinh Linh District along Vietnam’s central coastline.

Before Typhoon Mekkala hit, villagers living in thatched houses quickly sought shelter in concrete houses, schools and commune meeting halls.

There has been major public awareness around the fact that strong, sturdy structures save lives. Each family is encouraged to plan ahead of time exactly where they will seek safety when severe storms strike.

Ms Nguyen Thi Hoai Linh, Manager of Vinh Linh Area Development Programme said, “Communities in this area have worked on plans that identify a number of ways to save lives, assets and livelihood equipment before big storms hit. Families vulnerable to reoccurring and extreme damage from annual flood waters have been assisted by World Vision and local authorities to relocate to safer areas.”

Vinh Linh District is hit by floods and storms from October till December every year. The disasters often cause costly damage for local people because crop production, animal husbandry and fishing are main sources of their livelihood.