HANOI, Vietnam: Thousands of children in northern Vietnam are confronting significant challenges as they attempt to return to school following severe flash floods and landslides. The region, especially the mountainous areas in the northwest, has experienced intense rainfall since early July, resulting in extensive damage.
Nearly 29,000 homes have been affected, with approximately 90,000 hectares of crops destroyed. The floods have devastated infrastructure, leaving roads and bridges heavily damaged, which further complicates access to educational facilities. In Son La province alone, about 1.3 million people have been impacted, and 29 schools along with 2,670 houses have been damaged.
Save the Children estimates that around 4,500 children will face significant safety challenges as schools reopen in early September. The charity’s Country Director for Vietnam, Le Thi Thanh Huong, stressed the urgency of immediate intervention to prevent further risks to these children.
The floods have also incurred around $85 million in damages within the first seven months of the year, a dramatic increase compared to the previous year. The crisis, exacerbated by climate change, underscores the growing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events worldwide.
