If you’ve spent any time in Vietnam, you know the rainy season can be bad. But this year has been unprecedented. The storms keep on coming, and the flooding has been historic, especially in the central regions. Like many people, we watched the news wobbling between shock, heartbreak and “Okay, what can we actually do?”.
Helping flood victims in Vietnam doesn’t require grand gestures – it requires awareness, compassion, and knowing which actions genuinely support communities living through storms and typhoons. Here’s how you can help.
Why Flooding in Vietnam Hits Harder Than You Think
Floods in Vietnam aren’t just background noise on the news. They’re annual guests – and not the fun kind. Central Vietnam sits in the line of fire when storms and typhoons spin off the East Sea, and the geography basically funnels water straight into towns, villages, rice fields, and mountain communities.
The damage from storms in Vietnam isn’t just broken roads — it’s lost homes, ruined harvests, contaminated water, and weeks (sometimes months) of rebuilding.
A few things that surprised me my first year living here:
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When the water rises, it rises fast. Like “your motorbike was here this morning and now it’s snorkeling” fast.
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Storm damage hits rural areas the hardest, where families rely on seasonal crops, fishing, or livestock.
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Flood recovery is rarely over when the headlines fade – locals talk about it for months because it affects livelihoods long after the water leaves.
Support from the wider community – locals, expats, travellers, everyone – truly matters.
So How Can We Help?
If you’re sitting in Hanoi, Saigon, or scrolling Instagram from abroad and thinking; I want to help, but how?
The good news is that Vietnam has a strong network of local organisations and community groups that mobilise quickly during storm season.
The most effective donations go to groups that are already on the ground – not ones waiting to mobilise after fundraising.
Hanoi donation drop off points:
See the full list of drop off points here
HCMC donation drop off points:
See the full list of HCMC drop off points here
Donate money to established Vietnamese nonprofits organising relief support
And remember, keep an eye on local community pages and expat groups for more community-driven donation collections and fundraisers.
Give Items That Make a Real Difference (Not the Stuff That Ends Up in Piles)
Here’s the unglamorous truth: during storms and typhoons, people need practical items, not the random feel-good stuff that sometimes gets donated.
Based on what local volunteers request most often:
The most helpful items for flood victims in Vietnam are:
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Clean drinking water
- Dry clothes and blankets
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Women’s sanitary towels
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Diapers + formula
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Waterproof bags for documents
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Flashlights and batteries
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Mosquito repellent (post-flood = insect party)
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Instant noodles, rice, cooking oil, canned fish, other non-perishable goods
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Oral rehydration salts + basic medicine
Pro tip: Ask the donation centre what they actually need before dropping off supplies – each storm brings different shortages and each drop off point will have different needs.
Help Long After the Water Leaves (Because That’s When It Gets Hard)
It’s easy to think the crisis ends when the rain stops. But in Vietnam, the aftermath of a flood is its own long season.
The real recovery begins when the water recedes — and that’s when families need long-term support.
Here’s what becomes critical after storm damage sets in:
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Rebuilding homes
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Replacing livestock lost in the flood
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Buying new textbooks and uniforms for school
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Repairing fishing boats
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Fixing wells or water systems contaminated by runoff
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Replanting crops
If you prefer giving in a way that creates lasting impact, look for programs focusing on rebuilding. This is especially meaningful for families in rural Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, or Huế who don’t have insurance or savings to fall back on.
Long-term support may not be “viral,” but it’s the kind of help people talk about for years.
How to Help Without Leaving Your Couch (Digital Helpers, We See You)
Maybe you’re not in Vietnam right now. Or maybe you don’t have the means to donate. You can still do a LOT.
Here’s how:
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Share verified donation links (emphasis on verified – fake ones pop up fast)
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Boost community campaigns on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok
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Use your language skills to translate Vietnamese updates for international donors
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Follow charity social media pages and share their posts.
Your reach, even online, absolutely matters – floods move fast, and so does information.
Why Helping Flood Victims in Vietnam Hits Close to Home for Us
We’ve travelled Vietnam from the mountain roads of Hà Giang to the floating villages of the Mekong, and the thing that always sticks with us isn’t the scenery – it’s the people.
The auntie in Huế who insisted we eat a hot bowl of bún bò.
The fisherman in Hội An who taught us how to untangle a net (we were terrible).
The families who waved us into their homes during a rainstorm like we were long-lost cousins.
The kids who screamed hello at us no matter what city or village we were in.
So when the floods hit – when storms rip roofs off houses or wash out entire rice fields – it doesn’t feel like watching strangers on the news.
It feels personal.
It feels close.
It feels like our Vietnam is hurting.
Helping flood victims isn’t charity – it’s community. And if you’ve ever been welcomed here, you’re a part of that community too.
If You Want to Help Today (A Quick, Friendly CTA)
If you’re ready to support families affected by storms and typhoons in Vietnam – whether from Hanoi, HCMC, or halfway across the world – we can point you toward verified, reputable, impactful organisations.
Send us a DM on Instagram @whereinhanoi or @whereinhcmc_ and we’ll connect you with the groups currently doing the most effective work.
Because every clean-water bottle, every bag of rice, every blanket and every shared link, makes Vietnam stronger. It takes a village. Việt Nam Cố Lên 💪🇻🇳
