Since January, Vietnam has been hit by 248 thunderstorms, eddies and torrential rains; five tropical storms; 13 flash floods and 68 earthquakes. Photo: Quoc Khanh /VNA /CVN

Figures reported at the meeting, held in response to the International Day for Disaster Reduction, also reported 98 dead and missing from natural disasters during this period. Since January, Vietnam has been hit by 248 thunderstorms, eddies and torrential rains; five tropical storms; 13 flash floods and 68 earthquakes; severe salt intrusions and erosion along river banks and sea dikes in the Mekong Delta.
Addressing the meeting, Vietnam Red Cross (VRC) vice president and general secretary Nguyen Hai Anh said that the VRC still sees responding to natural disasters as one of its main strategic missions and that 'she devoted most of her resources to this work.
According to the official, the VRC has promoted communication campaigns to educate its branches and the public on how to prevent and respond to natural disasters. It was also involved in evacuation, search and rescue and providing assistance during inclement weather. The VRC has distributed more than 118 billion VND in aid to disaster victims in 2019 and 136 billion VND since the start of this year.
VNA /CVN