The Government of Japan has contributed USD 1.5 million through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to support urgent flood relief and early recovery efforts in Viet Nam. This funding targets families and children affected by the severe tropical storms, typhoons, and flooding that struck the country throughout 2025, providing assistance through a multi-sectoral approach focused on non-food items, water, sanitation, hygiene, search and rescue capacity, and protection measures.
Of the total contribution, USD 1 million will go to IOM Viet Nam to deliver non-food item assistance to more than 32,000 people in Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, and Lam Dong provinces, while strengthening search and rescue capacity for 20 community response teams to support approximately 4,000 individuals. The remaining USD 500,000 will support UNICEF Viet Nam in providing essential water, sanitation, and hygiene services, repairing sanitation facilities, improving school lighting, and enhancing the safety of women and girls, benefiting around 20,000 people, including 14,000 children.
The floods and typhoons of 2025 have been unprecedented, with 15 storms causing record-breaking floods across multiple regions. Typhoons such as Bualoi, Matmo, Fengshen, and Kalmaegi, along with Storm Koto, triggered widespread displacement, damaged over 337,000 homes, and temporarily displaced hundreds of thousands of people. The Southern Central Province experienced its worst flooding in 50 years, with economic losses estimated at USD 3.6 billion and approximately 1.9 million people lacking access to safe water and sanitation.
Japan’s funding also supports broader multi-sectoral coordination, enabling IOM and UNICEF to expand relief efforts across health, education, and nutrition services. These efforts focus on vulnerable children and families, particularly those displaced by the disasters. UNICEF highlighted that the aid will help restore safe water and sanitation, protect children from disease, and strengthen community resilience against future climate shocks.
IOM emphasized that the contribution will allow the delivery of urgent shelter and non-food items, as well as equip community response teams with tools for search and rescue, enhancing local preparedness and disaster response. Drawing on Japan’s crisis response expertise, these measures aim to accelerate recovery and improve safety for affected populations.
Japan and Viet Nam have a long-standing partnership in disaster relief. In previous initiatives, including the 2024 response to Typhoon Yagi, Japan supported urgent WASH and child protection interventions, benefiting tens of thousands of people through the provision of safe water, hygiene kits, school systems, and child protection services. Building on these efforts, the current contribution reinforces ongoing commitments to help families rebuild and strengthen resilience against future climate-related disasters.
