The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on September 27 announed that it has approved a $2 million grant to assist the Vietnamese gorvernment in providing emergency and humanitarian services to residents affected by the super typhoon Yagi in the northern region of the country.

The grant is funded by the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund, which aims to provide support to ADB’s developing member countries affected by major disasters triggered by natural hazards.

Mr. Shantanu Chakraborty, ADB’s Country Director for Vietnam expressed that ADB highly commend the extraordinary efforts of the Vietnam government and Vietnamese in responding to the damage caused by typhoon Yagi.

“ADB’s grant will support wider government efforts to deliver immediate humanitarian relief. ADB is also committed to working with the government on post-disaster recovery in the affected provinces to build back better and improve resilience, which is critical in the face of accelerating natural hazards,” he said.

Along with that, ADB has been working with other development partners to support the government’s response to the disaster, including assessing assistance needs in the affected northern provinces of Vietnam.

Therefore, ADB’s emergency assistance aims to help ensure that people living in disaster areas have access to basic medical and social services and resources to rebuild their lives and livelihoods and will continue to work closely with the government and other development partners to deliver humanitarian assistance in line with the United Nations Resident Coordinator Disaster Response Plan.

Typhoon Yagi, the strongest typhoon to hit Vietnam in decades, made landfall on the northern coast of the country on September 7. As of 24 September, 337 people have been killed or reported missing and another 1,935 people injured, according to the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority.

The typhoon and subsequent flooding and landslides caused widespread damage in 26 provinces, with an estimated 37 million people living in the affected areas. Initial economic loss across northern part of Vietnam is estimated at around $2.6 billion.