The Vietnam Red Cross has received more than 989 million VND as relief aid from the Philip Morris Vietnam Company and the Singapore Business Association in Vietnam (SBA) for victims of typhoon Ketsana.

Of the sum, 900 million VND from Philip Morris Vietnam will be used to buy 75 tonnes of rice and 550 boxes of goods for over 3,000 families in Quang Ngai and Kon Tum provinces, and in Da Nang city.

The remainder from the SBA will be spent on 700 blankets and 6 tonnes of rice for the victims in the typhoon-hit localities.

At the hand-over ceremony on Nov. 12 in Hanoi, Doan Van Thai, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Red Cross, praised the sympathy and sense of social responsibility the businesses displayed towards victims of natural disasters in Vietnam.

He also said the Vietnam Red Cross has so far received 6 million USD in relief aid pledged by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Red Cross organisations and governments in foreign countries, and other international organisations.

With the assistance, Thai said, the Vietnam Red Cross overfulfilled its target of 2,100 tonnes of rice, 7,500 water tanks, and 10,000 boxes of goods in aid to typhoon victims.

The organisation has so far delivered 3,800 tonnes of rice and 22,000 boxes of goods to the typhoon victims./.