 |
| Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chairs an emergency online meeting with representatives of ministries, agencies and localities on urgent measures to respond to heavy rains, floods, and other natural disasters in several central provinces on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang |
ALGIERS — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, who was in Algeria for an official visit, on Thursday evening (Hà Nội time) chaired an emergency online meeting with representatives of ministries, agencies and localities on urgent measures to respond to heavy rains, floods, and other natural disasters in several central provinces.
The leader extended his deepest condolences to the families of those killed, missing or injured by the natural disasters.
He emphasised that, under the direction of Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, the top priority is saving lives and protecting the health and safety of citizens, while also searching for the missing and arranging funerals for the deceased.
At the same time, urgent efforts must be made to restore housing for residents, ensure the safety of schools, and maintain healthcare facilities, he said.
It is also a must to provide immediate and timely delivery of food, drinking water and medicine to isolated areas; and repair disruptions to electricity, telecommunications and transportation, the leader said.
According to updated reports, as of 8pm on Thursday, extremely heavy rainfall has occurred since early November 16 across Lâm Đồng, Khánh Hòa, Gia Lai and Đắk Lắk provinces, with some areas recording more than 1,700mm.
Flood levels on the Ba and Kỳ Lộ rivers in Đắk Lắk and the Dinh Ninh Hòa River in Khánh Hòa have peaked, exceeding historic records by 0.2-1.1 metres, and are now receding.
The PM has issued five official dispatches on responding to and overcoming the aftermath caused by flooding, inundation, and landslides. The PM and Deputy PMs have maintained regular communication with officials of relevant localities to monitor the situation and direct flood response efforts.
From November 18 to 20, Deputy PM Hồ Quốc Dũng directly inspected affected areas, oversaw response and recovery efforts, and visited residents impacted by the disasters in Khánh Hòa and Đắk Lắk provinces. On late Thursday, he chaired an online meeting with representatives of Gia Lai, Đắk Lắk, Khánh Hòa, and Lâm Đồng.
Earlier, on November 18, the PM decided to provide an emergency aid package of VNĐ50 billion (US$1.9 million) to Khánh Hòa Province to address flood-related damage. Ministries, sectors, and localities have strictly implemented the directions of the PM and the National Steering Committee for Civil Defence.
The Ministry of National Defence deployed 18,066 officers and soldiers along with 441 vehicles, while the Ministry of Public Security mobilised 17,624 officers and 24,143 grassroots security forces, together with 3,207 vehicles, to respond to floods.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment sent three working delegations to coordinate early with localities in response and recovery efforts, and issued two rounds of SMS alerts to 26.4 million subscribers and 24.1 million Zalo messages warning residents in affected areas.
Local authorities urgently evacuated 18,408 households with 61,035 people from high-risk areas, suspended school activities, and directed the operation of reservoirs to reduce downstream flooding. Hydropower plants in the Ba River basin alone cut down 96.3 million cu.m of water to help lower flood levels.
As many as 41 people were confirmed dead while nine are still missing. 167 houses were damaged and 51,138 were flooded. Many communes and wards remain severely inundated across the three provinces: Khánh Hòa (54), Gia Lai (35), and Đắk Lắk (34).
In agriculture, 13,026ha of rice, crops, and vegetables were damaged; 2,183ha of perennial and annual plants were affected; 30,731 heads of livestock and poultry were killed or swept away; and 88ha of lobster farms in Khánh Hòa suffered losses.
Regarding transportation, 30 locations along national highways remain locally flooded, causing traffic disruptions. Many sections of provincial roads and inter-communal routes are deeply flooded or affected by landslides, resulting in traffic blockages.
More than 1 million customers have experienced power outages, of whom over 457,000 have had power restored, while 553,250 customers remain without electricity. Local authorities continue to assess damage and implement recovery measures. — VNA/VNS