Every year, Viet Nam is heavily affected by natural disasters. More than 70% of the population is at risk from various types of natural hazard events such as floods, typhoons and droughts. Over the past two decades, natural disasters in Viet Nam annually kill more than 400 people, and cause economic losses of 1-1.5% of GDP. Natural disasters often destroy houses, markets, trade centers, warehouses, and workshops. They damage lives and livelihoods, impacting families and businesses located the disaster-prone areas.

Helping the housing sector to recover after large-scale disasters is essential key to longer term effective recovery. Currently, assessment of damages in the housing sector is carried out in accordance to the Joint Circular No. 43/2015 / TTLT-BNNPTNT-BKHĐT. The statistics and damage assessment according to the forms of this Circular have contributed to speeding up emergency assistance for people and communities, but there is room to further improve the systems in line with the Circular’s key indicators.

This Guideline on Post-Disaster Needs Assessment in the Housing sector has been adapted and tested in Viet Nam to assist disaster management agencies, local authorities and local organizations to carry out comprehensive assessment and planning of disaster recovery. It aims to support key stakeholders to undertake more effective damage, loss, impact assessments as well as to prioritize the needs of households and communities as part of a medium and long-term recovery planning.

The Viet Nam Disaster Management Authority and the United Nations Development Program in Viet Nam are pleased to introduce this Guideline which we hope can be useful in helping make effective post-disaster recovery planning.