US companies and Australia Gov't help flood victims in Mekong



Nov. 30 (VNA) -- Unocal and Conaco, two US oil firms, have provided USD 200,000 as relief for flood victims in Viet Nam's Mekong delta provinces.

The sum was handed over to the Viet Nam Red Cross (VNRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on Nov. 29.

It will be used to build 330 storm and flood-resistant houses in the flood-prone areas.

Meanwhile, the Austrian Government has donated VND 950 million (USD 67,800) as relief aid to the flooded areas in the Mekong delta.

The relief, channelled through the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), will be used to purchase medical instruments, sanitation equipment, and materials for housing construction.

The VNRC and IFRC built 8,500 houses with relief aid from international organizations for flood victims in the central region in 1998 and 1999.--VNA