Prime Minister requests quick response and recovery from flood consequences in central region

Flood water inundates residents’ houses in Phổ Minh Ward, Đức Phổ Town, the central province of Quảng Ngãi. — VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Văn Cường

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has requested ministries, provinces and cities to proactively deploy a concerted response to strong winds at sea, heavy rains, floods, landslides and flash floods to minimise any damage.

His directive was released following days of heavy rain in the central region, especially in Thừa Thiên-Huế, Quảng Ngãi and Bình Định provinces, which caused landslides, flooding and disrupted transport.

Some low-lying residential areas, along rivers and streams, have been isolated due to deep flooding, impacting local lives and halting many producer facilities.

It is forecast that in the next two or three days, due to incoming cold air, there may be strong winds at sea and more rain, leading to the risk of more flooding and potential landslides in the central region.

In the Official Dispatch No 120/CĐ-TTg issued on Monday, to proactively respond to floods and ensure the safety of people's lives and property, the PM asked concerned organisations and localities, according to their assigned functions and tasks, closely monitor, proactively direct and deploy response and promptly overcome consequences when natural disasters and incidents occur.

Provinces from Hà Tĩnh to Phú Yên should assign forces and means to access deeply flooded and isolated areas to support food and necessities for people, preventing people from going hungry.

Provinces must review, inspect, detect, give warnings, and evacuate residents, especially the elderly, children, women, and vulnerable groups, from flooded areas at risk of landslides and flash floods.

They must also organise forces to guard, control and guide traffic through spillways, deeply flooded areas, landslide areas or areas at risk of landslides.

Additionally, they should deploy measures to ensure dam safety and prepare means and forces to support people if they need to be evacuated.

Local officials should visit and give encouragement and support to families affected by floods. Local staff must be organised to help people repair houses, clean up the environment, quickly restore traffic routes, and perform essential infrastructure works, production, and business immediately after floods.

The PM requested the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) to closely monitor the developments of natural disasters and inform authorities and people to have suitable responses.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, according to their assigned functions and tasks, will coordinate with the MoNRE and localities to direct the scientific and safe operation of irrigation and hydroelectric reservoirs, contributing to flood reduction in downstream areas.

The Ministry of National Defense will allocate drones, forces and other vehicles to support localities in surveying vulnerable areas to detect cracks and areas at risk of landslides and flash floods in order to provide early warnings and take preventive measures, evacuate residents to ensure safety when requested by the locality.

The Ministry of Public Security is responsible for directing forces to regulate traffic and provide guidance and keep traffic safety and security in areas affected by natural disasters.

The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Ministry of Transport will guide medical examination and treatment and essential medical services for people in flooded areas, environmental sanitation, disease prevention and control during and after floods. They were told to ensure safety for students and teachers, limit damage to facilities, equipment and learning materials in deeply flooded and isolated areas, quickly repair landslide-affected traffic routes, especially on main traffic intersections.

PM Chính requires the MARD to closely monitor the situation, direct other ministries and localities to deploy disaster response, promptly report and propose to the PM to direct issues beyond its authority.

The Ministry of Finance will preside over and coordinate with the MARD and relevant agencies to propose financial support for local areas affected by natural disasters to actively overcome the consequences, restore production and business and stabilise people's lives. — VNS