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Current Requirements (US$)$37.2 million
Crisis overview
Typhoon Yagi, Viet Nam’s most powerful typhoon in 30 years, struck the northern part of the country on 7 September, bringing with it strong winds and five days of heavy rains that triggered widespread flooding and landslides. The typhoon affected 3.6 million people in nearly half (26) of Viet Nam’s 63 provinces, exacerbating vulnerabilities in communities already at risk from climate-related disasters. The typhoon and accompanying floods and landslides claimed 307 lives and left over 1,900 people injured. Nationwide, over 240,599 homes, 1,530 schools, and 570 health facilities were damaged, while an additional 73,248 homes were submerged in floodwaters. An estimated 72,591 people were in need of shelter after their homes were destroyed or severely damaged.
After the storm struck, more than 74,500 households (130,000 people) were relocated to safer areas. Overcrowded and under-resourced evacuation centres posed protection risks, particularly for women and children, who face heightened threats of gender-based violence (GBV) and communicable diseases. Households classified as poor and near poor, even before the successive floods, lacked sufficient resources to repair their homes.
Lao Cai province, Viet Nam
Ms. Thuy Nga (30) and her husband, Van Duong (30), members of the Giay ethnic group, live in Lam Tien village. In a single night, a flood and landslide destroyed the back wall of their house, allowing mud to inundate their home. All of the family's belongings, including the books of their two children, Tra My (10) and Nhat Minh (5), were soaked and caked in mud, rendering them unusable.
UNICEF/Dang Thai BinhHeavy rainfall caused river and stream levels to rise rapidly, with the Thao, Lo, Thương, Gam, Thai Binh, lower Red, Lục Nam and Hoang Long rivers all surpassing Alarm Level 3, the top and most critical level, triggering widespread flooding. The storm's impact was particularly severe in rural mountainous and coastal areas, where many homes were damaged or destroyed, and agricultural lands inundated or destroyed by landslides. Two of the most affected provinces, Lao Cai and Yen Bai, had suffered from 23 days of rain in August and, with soil already saturated with water, bore the brunt of the impact. Lao Cai experienced large-scale flash floods and landslides, while Yen Bai recorded more than 1,000 landslides, mostly smaller but widely dispersed.
While early warning systems and pre-emptive evacuations helped reduce casualties, Typhoon Yagi significantly impacted livelihoods, displaced thousands and damaged critical infrastructure. The agricultural sector, already vulnerable due to ongoing weather changes, was hard hit, with severe losses reported in rice and vegetable crops, as well as livestock. The Ministry of Planning and Investment estimates material losses at approximately VNĐ50 trillion ($2 billion).
Quang Ninh Province, Viet Nam
Typhoon Yagi devastated cities like Cam Pha. A child makes his way home on bicycle amidst the aftermath.
UNICEF/Pham Ha Duy LinhResponse priorities in 2025
The Joint Response Plan will focus on the needs of the 300,000 most vulnerable affected people across the 11 northern provinces, namely, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Cao Bang, Dien Bien, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang and Yen Bai. The three highest priority provinces are Cao Bang, Lao Cai and Yen Bai, where high poverty rates and pre-existing vulnerabilities have made the impact of the typhoon even more severe.
Of those people targeted for assistance, some 216,031 are men and women, 83,969 are boys and girls, and 24,000 are people with disabilities (PWD). The joint response plan will ensure that the acute needs of the most vulnerable households are met, including women-headed households and those with older persons, PWD and children. Under the overall leadership of the Resident Coordinator’s Office, the plan was developed by the Inter-sector Coordination Group, sector coordinators and their respective members in consultation with the Government of Viet Nam. It aims to identify those critical response priorities to be covered by UN agencies, NGOs and the Viet Nam Red Cross to augment the wider Government response. The joint response plan will cover a period of nine months (September 2024-June 2025) and will respond to both the immediate humanitarian needs and early recovery activities, which are mainstreamed and integrated through all sector plans. Sectors involved in the plan worked in close coordination with each other to ensure that strategic priority activities have the most significant impact on the lives of the most vulnerable people.
Ha Noi, Viet Nam
Children wade through floodwaters after Super Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful storm to hit Viet Nam in 70 years, devastated 14 northern provinces. The typhoon caused widespread flooding and disrupted the lives of millions of children and families.
UNICEF/Pham Ha Duy LinhFinancial requirements
The plan outlines the coordinated response priorities of the UN and NGOs, articulating the financial resources required to implement critical programs. It provides accountability to the Government by detailing the coordinated support that international organizations will deliver, including prioritized sectors and interventions. Focused on addressing the acute needs of the most vulnerable—such as the poor, near-poor, pregnant and lactating women (PLW), ethnic minorities, children, older persons, PWD, and the displaced—the plan incorporates strategic considerations for cross-cutting issues, including cash, gender, protection, and the environment. To achieve these objectives, the plan requires a total of $68.9 million, with $31.7 million allocated for immediate life-saving responses and $37.3 million for early recovery.
Viet Nam
2024 in review: Response highlights and consequences of inaction
Response highlights
As of 15 November, Viet Nam does not have a monitoring framework or an active 4Ws.
Consequences of inaction
Underfunding in critical sectors would leave thousands without essential assistance.
Nutrition
14,000 children with acute malnutrition would not receive treatment
Housing
Housing repairs for 3,237 people, including poor and near-poor households and households with PWD, would not be completed
Water, sanitation and hygiene
A funding gap would also prevent the provision of life-saving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) supplies for 150,000 people
Food security and agriculture
Approximately 84,680 vulnerable individuals—PLW, women-headed households, children, older persons, and those with disabilities—would not receive food assistance, and 34,670 farmers would be unable to access agricultural seeds and livestock needed for livelihood recovery.
Education
In education, underfunding would hinder the rebuilding and rehabilitation of schools and delay the provision of life-saving supplies to around 355,200 students, including teaching materials, textbooks, and computers in the most affected provinces. These education activities are considered lifesaving given their critical protective role, offering safety, stability, and access to essential services.