Natural disasters cost Viet Nam US$1.4 billion so far this year

As of October 9, natural disasters have left 238 people dead and missing, 367 injured, and damaged or unroofed about 258,000 houses across Viet Nam, according to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep.

In addition, more than 555,000 hectares of rice fields, crops, and plantations have been submerged, he added.

Natural disasters cost Viet Nam VND33.549 trillion (US$1.4 billion) since the beginning of 2025 and is projected to account for at least two percent of the nation's GDP this year, said the Deputy Minister.

Typhoon Matmo and its aftermath alone have left 15 dead and missing, seven injured, flooded 221,000 houses, and damaged nearly 17,000 others. Around 23,280 hectares of crops were inundated, Nguyen reported.

Approximately 546,000 electricity users in Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang, Cao Bang, and Lang Son provinces experienced outages. Power has been restored to 329,000 households, while about 217,000 remain without electricity.

The Ministry of National Defense has mobilized more than 11,000 officers and soldiers, 256 vehicles, and organized four relief flights carrying 8.7 tons of emergency supplies to affected areas.

Addressing the Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh noted that recent disasters have become increasingly complex, with record-level floods inflicting heavy human and economic losses and impacting overall growth.

The Prime Minister ordered maximum assistance for affected individuals and businesses, especially in agriculture—to quickly restore operations and stabilize livelihoods, thereby supporting the achievement of Viet Nam's 2025 economic growth goals.

He also tasked the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Ministry of Construction with guiding localities in revising socio-economic, infrastructure, and residential plans to adapt to increasingly extreme weather, and to ensure preparedness under the "four-on-the-spot" principle: on-site command, on-site forces, on-site materials, and on-site logistics.

Acknowledging the solidarity and tireless efforts of the armed forces and citizens in supporting affected communities, Prime Minister Pham called for timely commendations for exemplary contributors. At the same time, he demanded strict disciplinary action against those who neglected duties, responded sluggishly, showed indifference, or took advantage of others' hardships for personal gain.

Earlier, a total of 514 people were reported dead or missing due to natural disasters in 2024, increasing three times compared to the number in 2023 and 2.4 times over the average of the past decade. The disasters also injured 2,207 people and caused an estimated VND88.75 trillion (US$3.4 billion) in economic losses, an increase of 9.52 times over 2023./.