“I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the all the families who have lost their beloved ones. It is my hope that they will come to terms with the tragic consequences of the storm and floods,” the Party chief wrote in his message on September 30. 

While on a visit to Chile, State President Nguyen Minh Triet has extended his condolences to victims of the storm as well. 

In his message dated September 29, the State President called for all people at home and abroad to share the difficulties of the people in the affected regions and help them to return to their normal lives as soon as possible. 

At the opening session of the cabinet’s monthly meeting on September 30, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, on behalf of the Government, expressed his sympathy to those who have had to endure terrible suffering caused by the natural disaster. 

The same day, the staff of the Government Office raised VND120 million in support of the victims. 

The Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) has decided to allocate VND3.5 billion in emergency aid to 12 provinces where tropical storm Ketsana, left at least 38 dead and 10 others missing. 

The provinces of Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Thua Thien-Hue and Kon Tum along with Da Nang city will receive VND400 million each. Quang Tri, Gia Lai and Dak Lak provinces, will get VND300 million each, and Quang Binh and Binh Dinh provinces, VND200 million each. Phu Yen and Lam Dong provinces will also be given VND100 million each. 

On September 30, each staffer at the Office of the President contributed at least one working-day’s salary to the victims of the storm. 

The same day, the Vietnam Red Cross Society launched a campaign to call on all individuals and organisations to give relief and to the people in the storm-hit areas. 

The campaign will run through October 2009.

Losses and damages

Before the storm landed, nearly 47,000 boats with approximately 194,000 fishermen operating offshore had been informed about the storm’s movements and were guided to shelters.

More than 104,000 households with about 370,000 residents had been evacuated to safety.

Despite the localities’ efforts to cope with the storm, it still caused 74 deaths with 10 missing and 81 injured people. Ketsana destroyed nearly 6,000 houses and more than 14,000ha of rice, according to the latest report from the Ministry of Agriculture and rural development.

The storm also damaged more than 163,000 houses, 215 classrooms, 12,000 offices and public spaces and hundreds of kilometers of roads and dikes. It also sank 116 boats and ships.