Nearly 40,000 households in eight central and central highland provinces badly affected by the tropical storms Ketsana and Mirinae last year have got their lives back to normal thanks to assistance from the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO).

ECHO’s various projects cost a total of nearly 1.5 million EUR and first went into operation last December.

When meeting the press in Hanoi on June 16, Doan Van Thai, the Vice President and General Secretary of Vietnam ’s Red Cross, stressed that the country sincerely appreciated the assistance provided by the ECHO and the support from the French, German and Dutch Red Cross Societies to help the victims of storms and floods overcome their difficulties and resume their daily activities.

Projects to deal with the consequences of the storm Ketsana that tore across the provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue last September were carried out in cooperation with the German and Dutch Red Cross. The support included the provision of rice, seeds, fertiliser, water filters and cash for victims.

In the five provinces of Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Kon Tum and Gia Lai, which were devastated by the storm Mirinae in November, local residents were provided with saplings and livestock thanks to the French Red Cross. The aid also included over 1,000 tonnes of rice for nearly 13,000 households in need./.