Hanoi (VNA) — Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed Decision No. 2400/QD-TTg approving an emergency relief package worth 350 billion VND (13.2 million USD) to support Hue City and the central provinces of Quang Tri and Quang Ngai in recovering from severe flooding triggered by recent heavy rains.
The funds, drawn from the 2025 central budget reserve, will help localities meet urgent needs and restore livelihoods, according to the Ministry of Finance (MoF). Hue will receive 150 billion VND, while Quang Tri and Quang Ngai will each receive 100 billion VND, based on the ministry’s proposal submitted on October 29.
The MoF will oversee implementation, data accuracy, and compliance with legal provisions, while provincial and municipal People’s Committees must ensure transparent and lawful use of the funds, prevent misuse, and report on spending to the MoF, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and other relevant agencies.
From October 22 to 28, torrential rains battered central Vietnam from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai as tropical storm Fengshen combined with cold air and high-altitude easterly winds. Rainfall totals reached extreme levels, with Hue recording between 800 and 1,500 mm, and a record 4,340 mm at Bach Ma. Da Nang saw 600–900 mm, Quang Ngai 400–600 mm, and Quang Tri 300–500 mm. Some localities, including La To (1,360 mm), Khe Tre (1,904 mm), and Nam Dong (1,569 mm), also experienced exceptional rainfall.
On October 27 alone, Hue recorded historic daily rainfall, with Khe Tre receiving 1,176 mm, Huong Son 1,086 mm, and Bach Ma summit 1,740 mm — the highest single-day total ever observed in Vietnam. The downpour caused widespread flooding in 32 of 40 communes in Hue, affecting 35,000 households, while Da Nang reported over 75,000 flooded households. The water level of rivers in both cities rose above alert level 3.
The MoF has directed the Department of State Reserves to release relief goods from national stockpiles to Hue City, including 300 tons of rice, one DT3 speedboat, 20 lightweight rescue tents, 5,000 lifebuoys, 5,000 life jackets, 300 inflatable rafts, and two generators.
As of the morning of October 29, floods in central Vietnam had left nine people dead and five missing, according to the National Civil Defence Steering Committee. The casualties include six deaths and four missing in Da Nang, one death and one missing in Hue, and two deaths in Quang Ngai./.
