Localities urged to take lead in response to tropical depressions, heavy rain

The landslide on National Highway 34 in Tả Mò Village, Yên Định Commune, Bắc Mê District, Hà Giang northern mountainous province. — VNA/VNS Photo Đức Thọ

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has requested provinces and cities to actively and closely monitor developments of tropical depressions, in order to be ready to respond to any emergency situations.

In an official dispatch sent to localities and concerned organisations on Saturday, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development required coastal areas to strictly manage offshore vehicles, notify vehicles owners and ships captains about location, movement direction and evolution of tropical depressions to proactively manage escapes from areas in danger.

The danger zone will be updated in daily weather forecast bulletins.

For mainland areas, localities need to assign forces to guard, support and guide vehicles to ensure safe traffic for the people, especially in underground and deep flooding zones.

Supervision must be enhanced on areas where landslides have occurred or are at risk of landslides.

Localities have been urged to keep close watch on warning and weather forecast bulletins and to regularly notify and guide the people to proactively minimise any damage.

They should deploy forces to inspect and review residential areas along rivers, streams, low-lying areas, at high risk of flooding, flash floods, and landslides to relocate and evacuate people when needed and at the same time prepare forces and means for rescue when required.

The Vietnam News Agency, Việt Nam Television, Voice of Việt Nam and mass media agencies from central to local levels will strengthen information on developments of the tropical depression and heavy rain to let authorities and people know to respond.

Localities and concerned organisations must be strict about remaining on duty and regularly report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development through the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

On Saturday morning, heavy rain caused a landslide on National Highway 34 in Tả Mò Village, Yên Định Commune, Bắc Mê District, Hà Giang northern mountainous province.

The landslide killed 11 people and injured four others.

The Prime Minister on Saturday issued Official Dispatch No. 67/CĐ-TTg on directing measures to overcome the landslide consequences.

On Friday, the MARD sent a letter to coastal provinces and cities from Quảng Ninh to Bình Thuận asking them to respond to bad weather at sea and widespread heavy rain.

According to the National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, from now until Wednesday, the north and central regions will have rainfall of between 100-200mm, with some places experiencing over 250mm.

The Central Highlands and the South will have rainfall from 60-120mm, with some areas seeing over 200mm of rain. — VNS