Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh: Each person works for two, joining hands to respond and overcome the consequences of the storm and flood with the highest responsibility – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc; ministers, heads of ministerial agencies; and leaders of ministries, sectors, and relevant agencies.
Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh clarified that the storm, floods, and natural disasters have caused significant damage, and the weather forecast continues to predict complex developments in the northern provinces, from Thanh Hoa province and above.
“This can be described as a historic storm, causing immense damage. The sound of falling rain and the sight of relentless downpours evoke a sense of worry,” the Prime Minister expressed.
The Prime Minister has issued six dispatches, continuously directing ministries, sectors, agencies, and localities to focus on storm and flood prevention and control, as well as landslides… from an early stage and with a proactive, resolute, and preventive approach, responding at the highest level; forming delegations led by the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers, and Ministers to directly inspect, urge, and direct the implementation of response measures in localities; and deciding to establish a forward command post for direct guidance in responding to the storm…
At this meeting, the Prime Minister continued to direct tasks and solutions to respond to the floods, carry out rescue and relief work, overcome the consequences of natural disasters, and ensure the lives of people affected by natural disasters and floods.
Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc speaks at the meeting – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
The Prime Minister emphasized the spirit of “putting the life, safety, and health of the people first and foremost,” “not letting anyone go hungry, cold, or thirsty, or without shelter,” and continuing to mobilize the entire political system with the view of “the Party leads, the State manages, and the people are the masters.” He instructed ministries, sectors, agencies, and localities to continue to strictly and resolutely implement the directions of the Politburo and the General Secretary, President To Lam, as well as the dispatches and guidance of the Prime Minister, deploying all measures to respond, overcome consequences, especially floods and landslides caused by the storm’s aftermath, with the highest possible spirit, with each person working for two for the benefit of the people.
Requiring ministries, sectors, agencies, and localities to be on duty 24/7 to respond to and resolve urgent issues, the Prime Minister directed the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Public Security, and agencies, units, and localities unaffected by Storm No. 3 to concentrate forces and assist affected localities, agencies, and people in a spirit of “those who have, help with what they have; those who can do something, do what they can,” “healthy leaves cover torn leaves,” “torn leaves cover slightly torn leaves,” and “mutual affection”; responding to the call of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the whole community joins hands to overcome the consequences of Storm No. 3 and floods and landslides caused by its aftermath.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested that ministries, sectors, localities, and forces continue to focus on rescuing and providing relief to those in danger or missing; treating the injured; arranging funerals for the deceased; quickly stabilizing the situation as soon as possible; and finding all measures and means, whether by water, land, or air, to access and support essential goods to isolated areas, especially food, drinking water, and medicine…
Along with this, there should be preparations for biological products and medicines, addressing environmental pollution, and preventing diseases after natural disasters, especially in flooded and isolated areas; where the situation has stabilized, schools should be reopened for students; and there should be policies for debt restructuring, debt rescheduling, lending, and support for people and private businesses to restore production, business, stability, and livelihoods.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs the meeting of the Government’s Standing Committee on some important issues – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
The Prime Minister requested continued inspection, monitoring, and supervision of dike and dam conditions, along with assessments and forecasts to develop appropriate response plans; inspection, review, and strict supervision of areas at risk of landslides, flash floods, and landslides; and urgent relocation of people from high-risk areas to safe places.
Agencies, units, and localities should review and summarize the damage, reduce administrative procedures, and promptly provide reserve support to people, agencies, and localities to respond to and overcome the consequences of storms and floods; guide procurement procedures in emergency conditions so that agencies and localities have technical equipment, means of transport, supplies, and goods to serve response and recovery efforts after Storm No. 3 and floods and landslides caused by its aftermath; and control the situation strictly to prevent negative incidents.
Along with this, there should be a promotion of the supply of equipment, supplies, raw materials, and fuel to serve production and business activities and the restoration of agricultural and industrial operations; market and price control to ensure the supply of essential goods for people’s lives, preventing shortages and price gouging; and preparation of seeds and policies to support the restoration of agricultural production.
The Ministry of Planning and Investment is tasked with developing a program to overcome the consequences of Storm No. 3 and floods, landslides, and floods. This should include proposing mechanisms and policies to support people, private businesses, households, and cooperatives in restoring production, business, and livelihoods; mechanisms and policies for affected agencies and localities; policies for restoring damaged infrastructure due to storms, floods, and landslides…; and, especially, mechanisms to mobilize resources to the maximum extent from the State, people, businesses, and the whole society to overcome the consequences of Storm No. 3 and floods, landslides, and floods caused by its aftermath.
The Prime Minister requested that media agencies, along with updating the situation of storms and floods, strengthen information, recommendations, and guidance on skills for people to prevent, respond to, adapt to, and overcome the consequences of storms and floods, and restore their lives, production, and business./.
“Maritime Businesses Prohibited from Price Gouging During Storms and Floods.”
The Vietnam Maritime Administration strictly prohibits any exploitation of emergency situations, typhoons, or floods to hike up service prices unreasonably. Such actions are considered price gouging and are unacceptable, as they take advantage of challenging circumstances to the detriment of those affected.
The Great Supermarket Sweep: Hanoi Edition
“With the threat of flooding looming over several districts in Hanoi, residents are stocking up on essential food supplies, particularly fresh produce and meat. The sudden surge in demand has kept supermarket food aisles busy, with stocks being continuously replenished, only to be quickly snapped up by anxious shoppers.”
The Flood “Engulfs” Hundreds of Households in Thanh Hoa
The relentless downpour from the remnants of Storm No. 3 and the influx of water from Hoa Binh province have wreaked havoc in Thanh Hoa’s Thach Thanh district. A staggering 172 households are now reeling from the floods. In Kim Tan town alone, 100 households comprising 423 individuals find themselves in a dire situation, with floodwaters reaching depths of 1.2 to 1.5 meters, cutting them off from the outside world.
[Infographic] Flood Levels in the Northern Regions Over the Next 24 Hours
There is a high risk of flooding in the low-lying areas along the river banks in the provinces of Lang Son, Cao Bang, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Hoa Binh, Ninh Binh, and Thanh Hoa. In addition, the threat of flash floods and landslides looms over the mountainous regions of Northern Vietnam and Thanh Hoa province.
Urgent Action Needed: Recovering from Typhoon No. 3 and the Subsequent Floods, Landslides, and Flash Floods.
“Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade, Nguyen Hong Dien, has issued an urgent directive, numbered 6929/CD-BCT, on the 11th of September 2024, addressing the critical issue of mitigating the aftermath of the recent typhoon, labeled as Typhoon Number 3, and its ensuing floods, landslides, and flash floods that have wreaked havoc across the nation.”
