Australia will provide a 1 million AUD package of disaster assistance to Laos after its remote southern provinces were battered by Typhoon Ketsana recently, the Australian Department of Foreign Affair and Trade has announced.
This assistance will help meet the critical needs of communities in remote areas of Laos and will be delivered by Australian Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Stephen Smith said on October 11. Critical needs include food, clean water, shelter and basic medical supplies.
The assistance will also help restore agricultural production by providing seed stocks, tools and fertilisers and repair irrigation systems.
Typhoon Ketsana caused severe flooding and claimed lives, destroyed houses and inundated rice fields in Laos . The country has reported over 20 deaths, 135 people missing and an estimated 37,500 people displaced.
Before striking Laos , Typhoon Ketsana caused devastation in the Philippines and Vietnam.
Australia has previously announced 3 million AUD in emergency assistance and urgent food aid to the Philippines , and a 1 million assistance AUD package to the Vietnam Red Cross and Australian NGOs in Vietnam./.