Strong humanity after Brutal typhoon

In 1997, another typhoon dubbed "Storm No 5" in Vietnamese hit these South-Western provinces, but that storm just swooped by the near-shore waters and mainly damaged fishing boats then still working at sea.

But now, typhoon Durian, dubbed "Storm No 9" in Vietnamese, has directly hit Ben Tre Province and many others along Vietnam's South Central and Southern coast, especially it smashed in mainland areas for the most part of Ben Tre province, where residents are not used to confronting typhoons.

So Ben Tre was seen as the hardest hit province. The death toll was counted at 16 deaths and 492 wounded, according to the province's official report to the country's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on December 9, 2006. Other damages: 29,048 houses were totally collapsed, 92,600 un-roofed; 73 classrooms were collapsed; and 18,000 ha of rice and vegetables were badly damaged,... The total amount value of the above damage was initially calculated at more than VND 3,000 billion. Binh Dai, Ba Tri, and Giong Trom are the three worst hit districts.

On December 9, 2006, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung decided to grant VND 70 billion and 1,000 tonnes of rice in relief aid to help local resident overcome their adversities as well as to help them lessen the grief and pain caused by typhoon Durian.

The Government main motto is not to let disaster victims to live un homeless and empty-bell situation. The provincial leadrship urgently acted out deliver the Central Government's aid money and gifts swiftly and directly to every household in the hard hit areas.

At the same time, the province also jumped to action to recover the wretched health care facilities, schools, road systems, electrical and telecommunication systems, water systems, etc. In addition to the Central Government's aid, the provincial National Front Committee also received shipments of relief aid worth more than VND 6 billion from many organizations and individuals outside the province.

Beside the provincial National Front Committee, on these days, Ben Tre also gladly received various groups of charity doers from other provinces and cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, An Giang, Ca Mau, Soc Trang provinces, etc. They came to deldiver their loads of relief gifts and aid money directly to the hardest hit victifms of the brutal storm, whose relatives died or whose houses were totally collapsed.

One of the individuals, Ms Ly Kim Chi, Vice Chairwoman of Ho Chi Minh City's Foodstuff Society, hersedlf raised VND 100 million of charitable fund and 20 gifts among her Ho Chi Minh-based member companies and enterprises and delivered them directly to the typhoon victims in Chau Hoa and Chau Binh Communes, Giong Trom District, whose houses were totally collapsed. They were given gifts worth VND 5 million each, cluding VND 4 million in cash and clothes.

Organizations such as the Red Cross Societies of An Giang and Soc Trang provinces gave victims in Tan My Commune, Ba Tri District, 100 gifts including VND 100,000, 20 kg of rice and one package of instant noodle. Meanwhile, Vietnam's Committee of Red Cross Societies gave 500 gift packages, including mosquito nets, blankets, and cooking utilities.

And many other organizations and individuals also are giving their hands day by day to help Ben Tre's people to pass this time of hardship.

The 9th Military Sector sent in over 1,000 troops, and the Ministry of Public Security (Ministry of National Police) sent in hundreds of policemen to help Ben Tre's people rebuild schools, houses,... damaged by the storm.

Warm humanity has been strongly shown here in Ben Tre after a brutal typhoon to help the poor people rebuild their life.