After back-to-back typhoons rattled an already storm-weary Vietnam, Samaritan's Purse teams are bringing aid in Jesus' Name to hurting communities across the Southeast Asian country.
Navigating flooded neighborhood streets aboard rafts, Samaritan’s Purse teams distributed critical supplies to families left stranded by Typhoon Matmo’s destruction in the far north of Vietnam.
The typhoon, another in a series of tropical cyclones to strike the Southeast Asian country this year, flooded already inundated regions—triggering mass power outages and raging floods that tore through entire communities. To amplify the crisis, a dam collapsed and unleashed its reservoir of water on communities downstream.
Streets and homes are still flooded in northern Vietnam after Typhoon Matmo.
Samaritan’s Purse responded to the area within 48 hours of the collapsed dam, distributing 4,000 kits of emergency food—packed with instant noodles and sausage—and bottled water. Only days before, our teams were distributing similar aid in a different province further south hit by Typhoon Bualoi. Both responses are ongoing as the need is great.
Samaritan’s Purse teams use boats to carry supplies to families still stranded in their homes.
A Reeling Region Finds Hope
Matmo brought the “largest and most sudden” flooding in Lang Son province’s recent history, local officials said. Water was ankle-height as communities across the province awoke, but quickly rose to the second story of buildings by early afternoon.
“Seeing the whole area turn into a sea of water, right in the middle of homes and community spaces, I could only cry out,” said Huyen, a government officer in Lang Son and a partner of Samaritan’s Purse during this response. “We sincerely thank Samaritan’s Purse for your timely relief. Your support was not only material but also a heartfelt encouragement to us and to our people.”
With floodwaters still covering the city streets, Samaritan’s Purse had to distribute some aid to people on the rooftops of their homes.
Families recalled the day the storm hit with terror. The hours and days following, when many people were stuck in their homes, only amplified the crisis.
Thuyet, a local resident in Lang Son, was trapped inside her home for two days alongside her parents, grandparents, and her 80-year-old great-grandmother with no electricity and a limited water supply.
“We were thirsty most of the time,” she said. “Electricity and water were cut off and everything was in darkness. We couldn’t contact anyone.”
Thuyet, left, stacks food and water she received at a Samaritan’s Purse distribution onto her motorcycle to bring back home to her family.
As soon as the waters receded and it was safe to leave, Thuyet and her family finally escaped the flooded home by boat. Samaritan’s Purse arrived shortly after with plenty of water and food for the whole family.
Lan was another local resident to arrive at our aid distribution in the still-flooded streets. Following the dam’s collapse, she escaped her flooded home and used a boat to bring food to her elderly grandmother, and other surrounding neighbors. However, she soon ran out of supplies. Then, Samaritan’s Purse arrived.
“Today, I feel so happy,” she said as she collected supplies from our distribution. “After receiving water, noodles, and sausage from Samaritan’s Purse, I will soon deliver these supplies to my grandmother and to others who are still isolated in the flooded area.”
Lan used her boat to bring any supplies she could find to her grandmother and others in need after the storm. Now, after receiving Samaritan’s Purse supplies, she can continue to take care of herself and her community as the floodwaters begin to recede.
Work Continues as Another Storm Is Expected
Samaritan’s Purse has distributed aid to thousands of people across four different provinces of central and northern Vietnam in response to back-to-back typhoons that hit this October. In months prior, our teams responded to another three storms in what’s become a catastrophic, strenuous storm season in Southeast Asia.
Our work is ongoing in Lang Son province as additional supplies are en route to the battered region. In the following weeks our teams will distribute personal hygiene kits, household water filters, and non-food items such as blankets and mosquito nets, to more families reeling from the storm.
Residents of Lang Son province were grateful not only for the physical aid they received, but for the love and compassion shown by Samaritan’s Purse.
Please be in prayer for Vietnam as another dangerous storm—Tropical Storm Fengshen—is expected to hit the south-central region of the country on Thursday, Oct. 23. Samaritan’s Purse is already positioned to help.
Pray for each community and family uprooted by these recurring storms, and that Samaritan’s Purse staff would show God’s love as we help in Jesus’ Name.
