CaliToday (15/11/2025): The aid package comes as rescue teams battle catastrophic floods and landslides in Central Vietnam, with the U.S. contribution this season now totaling $1 million.
As Central Vietnam grapples with a dire humanitarian situation following catastrophic landslides and warnings of "extreme" new rainfall, the United States has announced an additional $500,000 in emergency relief aid.
The new funding is a direct response to the widespread devastation caused by the successive impacts of Typhoon Fengshen and Typhoon Kalmaegi, the storm systems responsible for the current crisis.
The announcement comes at a critical moment. Rescue workers in Da Nang are currently in a desperate race against time to locate more than 10 people feared buried in a major landslide. Simultaneously, the entire region, from Hue to Da Nang, is bracing for a new weather system forecast to dump up to 800mm of rain, threatening to trigger a new, massive wave of floods.
In a statement released from its Hanoi embassy, the U.S. government said it "recognizes the immense challenges the people of Vietnam are facing" from the widespread damage.
The aid will be prioritized for the hardest-hit communities to help them meet essential, immediate needs, including emergency shelter, clean water, and sanitation supplies. The funds are intended to directly support the ongoing, Vietnamese-led relief efforts.
This new $500,000 pledge is in addition to a separate $500,000 provided by the U.S. in October for relief from earlier storms, bringing the total U.S. contribution in this single, brutal typhoon season to $1 million.
The embassy statement framed the aid as part of the deep, strengthening U.S.-Vietnam relationship, which has advanced significantly in recent years.
"The U.S. relationship with Vietnam is built on a foundation of shared priorities, including ensuring a free, open, and stable Indo-Pacific region," the statement noted.
It also highlighted the "strong people-to-people ties," reinforced by the "dynamic Vietnamese-American community," as a key pillar of the partnership.
"Our emergency assistance," the embassy concluded, "demonstrates the deep bond between our two peoples and our commitment to the U.S.-Vietnam relationship... helping to alleviate hardship, respond effectively in times of crisis, and build a more resilient future together."