An appeal for help to the the victims of the typhoon Durian (or N#9) in the South Viet Nam

The Catholic Charity Ministries
Archdiocese of Saigon
180 Nguyễn Đình Chiểu,
Quận 3, Tp HCM, Vietnam
Tel: (84.8)930.3828
Fax: (84.8) 930.0598
email: tgmsaigon@vnn.vn

December 8, 2006

Generally the typhoon or tempest season occurs the Central Viet Nam, but this year it has happened in the South Vietnam. Typhooon Durian is the biggest one. According to the elderly people who have lived a long time in Can Gio, such a huge typhoon did not occurred in this area, except aorund 70 years ago.

The damage indeed is very enormous. There are so many victims and a tremendous loss in terms of houses, properties and livehood. For this reason we are making an appeal to all: goodwill people our benefactors to give us needed help so that we can be able to assist these Durian victims in our dioceses.

Here are some of the lastest numbers given by our local newspapers, some data as follows:

I/ Ba Ria Diocese:
29 dead, 16 missing, 1.000 injuring, 233 houses destroyed, 12.000 roofs blown away, 12 boats broken.

II/ Vinh Long Diocese :

• 1/ Tra Vinh Province : 379 houses destroyed, 1.147 roofs blown away, 5 boats destroyed. 3 schools damaged and many trees, fruit plants destroyed. (Nobody dead)
• 2/ Vinh Long Province : 1 dead, 3 missing 27 injuring, 2.366 houses destroyed, 8.465 roofs blown away, 24 fish rafts sunk. The damage estimated VND5.000.000.000 # USD312,500.00)
• 3/ Ben Tre Province : 19 dead in which 1 child, many injuring, 10.743 houses destroyed, 66.724 roofs blown away.

III/ Phan Thiet Diocese :
Phu Quy District: 5 injuring, 580 ships, boats sunk or damaged, 1.730 houses destroyed or damaged, 12 schools damaged. The damage nearly VND185.000.000.000 # USD11,562,500.00
IV/ My Tho Diocese:

• 1/Go Cong Dong District, Tien Giang Province : 2 dead, 55 missing, 6.700 houses influenced, 46 agencies or schools damaged, 45 ships and 27 fish rafts sunk, 180 big trees fallen, 400 ha of rice and 82 ha of crop lost.
• 2/ Can Duoc, Can Duoc, Chau Thanh District, Long An Province : 2 injuring, 60 houses destroyed, 130 roofs blown and 30 schools damaged, 8 boats sunk, 3.000 ha of rice damaged.

V/ Can Tho Diocese :

• 1/ Hau Giang Province : 100 ha of rice destroyed completely.
• 2/ Can Tho City : 29 houses destroyed, 326 roofs blown away, 20 big trees fallen, 2 boats and fish rafts sunk.

VI/ Xuan Loc Diocese :

• 1/ Song Ray, Lam San, Long Giao, Thua Duc, Nhan Nghia Village, Cam My District, Dong Nai Province : 11 houses destroyed, 150 roofs blown.
• 2/ Long Thanh District : 35 roofs blown
• Cam My and Long Thanh : 60 ha of crop and industrial plants destroyed.

VII/ HoChiMinhCity Diocese :
Long Hoa and Can Thanh Village, Can Gio District : 4 missing, 261 houses destroyed, 1.483 roofs blown, 10 schools with 115 rooms damaged heavily.

According to the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control, the typhoon Durian caused more than 70 dead, 55 missing, 120.000 houses influenced…. the damage estimated at many VND hundred billion (or millions of US dollars).

Prepared by The Catholic Charity Ministry, Archdiocese of Saigon, TpHCM