The hand-over event was attended by Korean Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Kim Jong-Hoon and representatives from Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The rice, worth more than VND 393 billion (USD 17.2 million), was provided by the RoK government via the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) to localities that suffered severe damages from Typhoon Damrey in 2017.
The recipients included Thue Thien-Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Tri, Quang Ngai, Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, Gia Lai, Kon Tum and Dak Lak. The hardest-hit Khanh Hoa province received the most, 2,000 tons; followed by Quang Nam, 1,700 tons; and Thua Thien-Hue, 1,500 tons.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Van Thang said despite Vietnam’s continued relief efforts, affected people in remote areas face many difficulties. The ministry will ensure the appropriate and transparent distribution of the relief.
In early November 2017, Typhoon Damrey swept through Vietnam’s South Central region, leaving 123 people dead or missing and 342 others injured and causing about USD 1 billion in economic losses. It was one of the worst storms to strike the region in years.
On January 30, 2018, Vietnam also received more than LAK 166 million, or about USD 20,000, from Laos to support Typhoon Damrey’s victims.
Source: VNA