Japan Contributes USD 1.5 Million through IOM and UNICEF for Urgent Flood Relief and Recovery in Viet Nam

The critical funding will provide comprehensive support to displaced families and children impacted by recent tropical storms, typhoons, and flooding. Assistance will be delivered through a multi-sectoral approach, prioritizing non-food item assistance, water, sanitation, and hygiene; strengthening search and rescue capacity; and ensuring robust protection measures.

HA NOI, 15 December 2025 – The Government of Japan has announced a USD 1.5 million contribution through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to bolster Viet Nam’s critical relief and early recovery efforts following persistent tropical storms, typhoons, and flooding in 2025.

A USD 1 million will go to IOM Viet Nam to provide non-food item assistance to more than 32,000 people in Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, and Lam Dong provinces, and to strengthen search and rescue capacity for 20 community response teams, aiming to assist approximately 4,000 individuals. An additional USD 500,000 will support essential water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, repair of sanitation facilities, improve lighting in schools, and promote the safety of women and girls through UNICEF Viet Nam, benefiting 20,000 affected individuals, including 14,000 children.

H.E. Mr. ITO Naoki, Japanese Ambassador to Viet Nam, said: "We pay our deepest respect to the recovery efforts. In order to accelerate this process, Japan has decided to provide emergency humanitarian assistance totaling 1.5 million US dollars through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). This aid will be directed to the most severely affected provinces: Dak Lak, Khanh Hoa, Gia Lai, and Lam Dong." Ambassador ITO emphasized: "We sincerely hope that this emergency assistance from the Japanese people and Government will swiftly reach the affected people, ease the burden of the storm, and help the disaster-stricken areas recover as soon as possible. Furthermore, to prevent similar damage from recurring in the future, we will also consider providing technical cooperation through JICA, focusing on water management, infrastructure development in the central region."

Viet Nam faced an unprecedented series of extreme weather events in 2025, enduring 15 typhoons and historic floods of unparalleled intensity, frequency, and geographic reach. Typhoons Bualoi (September 29) and Matmo (October 6) triggered record-breaking floods across seven major rivers, compounding devastation in northern provinces. Subsequent storms, including Typhoon Fengshen (October 22) and Typhoon Kalmaegi (November 6), further ravaged central regions, while Storm Koto (November 28) brought additional heavy rainfall.

According to the Government’s latest report dated November 26, 2025, the Southern Central Province is experiencing its worst flooding in 50 years. The floods and ensuing landslides have caused widespread displacement and economic accumulated losses estimated at USD 3.6 billion. Since the beginning of the storm season, in total, these disasters have claimed or left missing 409 lives and destroyed or damaged more than 337,000 homes. At its peak, Typhoon Kalmaelgi temporarily displaced over 500,000 individuals. Approximately 1.9 million people lack access to safe water and sanitation across nine provinces.

This funding will also play a catalytic role in facilitating broader multi-sectoral coordination, enhancing efforts across health, education, and nutrition services to meet the comprehensive needs of children and families. As part of the United Nations’ (UN) joint response plan in cooperation with the Government of Viet Nam, IOM and UNICEF are focused on supporting the most vulnerable children and families, including those who have been displaced.

Despite ongoing relief efforts, further support is still needed to ensure safe spaces and access to essential services for affected populations. The funds provided by Japan will enable IOM and UNICEF to expand their reach and accelerate recovery efforts.

“Children have done nothing to cause climate change, yet they bear its heaviest burden,” said Silvia Danailov, UNICEF Representative in Viet Nam. “As co-lead of the National Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Response, UNICEF is working with partners to restore safe water and sanitation for families and children affected by these recurring storms. Japan’s timely support enables us to deliver essential WASH services, protect children from disease, and help communities build resilience against future climate shocks.”

“As co-lead of the Shelter/ Non-food items (NFIs) sector in Viet Nam, IOM will deliver urgent assistance to families displaced by recent disasters in South-Central Viet Nam,” said Kendra Rinas, IOM Chief of Mission. “With Japan’s generous support, we will provide shelter repair kits and NFIs to meet immediate needs and aid recovery. Additionally, IOM will equip 20 community response teams with search and rescue tools, strengthening local preparedness and ensuring faster, safer disaster response for vulnerable communities, drawing on Japanese crisis response expertise.”

Japan and Viet Nam have a long-standing partnership. In 2024, with support from the Government of Japan, UNICEF Viet Nam addressed urgent WASH and child protection needs for families affected by Typhoon Yagi in Cao Bang, Dien Bien, Lao Cai, and Yen Bai provinces. The initiative ensured access to safe water, sanitation, and protection services, benefiting nearly 35,000 people by distributing water tanks, filters, and hygiene kits, installing drinking water systems in schools, and carrying out hygiene promotion campaigns in schools and communities. Child protection efforts provided emergency kits, trained school counselors, and raised awareness on preventing abuse and violence, supporting almost 30,000 children and caregivers in the hardest-hit areas.

With support from the Government of Japan, IOM Viet Nam has delivered life-saving non-food item packages to more than 17,000 vulnerable individuals, including women, girls, and persons with disabilities. Six evacuation centers rehabilitated and reconstructed in Lao Cai, Cao Bang, and Tuyen Quang, have provided safe shelter for nearly 1,000 children and families in areas most at risk of flooding and landslides. These centers remain critical lifelines amid escalating climate threats.

Thanks to Japan’s generous contribution, IOM and UNICEF are committed to helping families rebuild and strengthen resilience against future disasters. Continued international support is essential as communities recover from this catastrophic climate event.

Media contacts:

• KANIKAWA Wakana, Embassy of Japan in Viet Nam, Tel 024-3846-3000 (3105). [email protected]
• Nguyen Ngoc Tram, IOM Viet Nam, Tel : +84 (0) 912893964. [email protected].
• Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, UNICEF Viet Nam, Tel: +84 (0) 904154678. [email protected]