A Northern Province Offers to Give Away VND 100 Billion in Storm Recovery Aid to Other Struggling Regions

On the afternoon of September 8, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh inspected the damage and directed the deployment of urgent measures to overcome the consequences of the third storm in Quang Ninh – the location where the storm made landfall with the strongest winds and caused the most damage according to statistics.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh inspected and oversaw the damage caused by the third storm in Ha Long City and Hon Gai City, Quang Ninh Province. He also inquired about the damage sustained by the residents and encouraged the military, police, youth, and urban environmental sanitation workers who were carrying out post-storm clean-up duties.

According to a rapid report from Quang Ninh Province, following the directions of the Central Government, the Provincial Party Committee’s Executive Board formed 14 working groups, and the Provincial People’s Committee established 4 working groups for storm response. The local authorities assigned leaders to directly oversee each area and formed 48 working groups to inspect and direct storm prevention efforts in their respective localities.

Additionally, the local authorities and armed forces stationed in the province mobilized 2,663 officers and soldiers, as well as 68 vehicles of various types, 18 boats, 59 dinghies, and 6 specialized vehicles. All were on standby in their assigned areas, ready to perform their duties when required.

As of 12:00 PM on September 8, according to Quang Ninh’s rapid report, the province had 4 fatalities and 157 injured individuals who were being treated at medical facilities. By noon on the same day, 27 people who had been drifting at sea were successfully rescued.

Regarding property damage, the initial statistics from the localities reported 19,582 houses with damaged roofs; 21 water transport vehicles, 23 tourist boats, and 41 fishing vessels of various types sank or drifted; 1,297 electricity poles collapsed; 70% of trees fell or were damaged, along with 2 power stations and 3 telecommunication stations.

Moreover, more than 1,000 oyster cages were lost or washed away; 17,000 square meters of aquaculture facilities were damaged; 912 hectares of rice were flooded or submerged; and 8,503 hectares of forest plantations were affected.

Many high-rise buildings, agency headquarters, and schools in the localities were damaged. Almost all billboards and advertising signs were knocked down, and the entire province’s information and communication system was disconnected. There was also a widespread power outage.

On the night of the storm’s landfall, the Provincial Party Committee, directly under the Standing Deputy Secretary (in charge of the Provincial Party Committee’s operations), and the Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee directed the Provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense, with the core being the Military Command of Quang Ninh Province, to coordinate with the armed forces in the area to begin the search and rescue operations, prioritizing cases of distress at sea, such as capsized boats, drifting, and missing persons.

The province is continuing to review and assess the damage to devise a timely recovery plan. For now, they have decided to immediately support those affected by the storm, including those engaged in marine aquaculture, rice and cash crop farmers, and forest planters. Support will also be provided to residents whose houses were damaged or collapsed, as well as those whose tourist boats or fishing vessels were sunk or damaged due to the storm.

Earlier, at a meeting on September 8 to evaluate the direction of response efforts, the situation of damage mitigation, and the deployment of urgent measures to overcome the consequences of the third storm, the Prime Minister directed the provision of temporary support worth VND 100 billion to Quang Ninh Province for post-storm recovery. However, the leaders of Quang Ninh Province expressed their desire to pass on this support to other localities in the northern mountainous region facing difficulties due to floods and landslides. Quang Ninh Province will instead balance its resources from reserve and contingency funds as per the general regulations.

At the working session, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated the sense of responsibility of the Provincial Party Committee and the leaders of the Provincial People’s Committee of Quang Ninh in both storm prevention and timely direction of post-storm recovery efforts.

The Prime Minister emphasized the goal of promptly stabilizing the situation and restoring all activities to normalcy. He instructed tending to the injured and those affected by the storm, searching for missing persons, and arranging proper funerals for the deceased. He also stressed the need to prepare for the storm’s aftermath, including floods, landslides, and other potential disasters. The Prime Minister emphasized that all students must return to school as soon as possible, and those in safe areas should resume their studies immediately. He further directed ensuring timely medical care for the sick.

Regarding solutions, the Prime Minister requested that Quang Ninh Province mobilize the entire political system, including the armed forces, the Fatherland Front, and socio-political organizations, especially for the massive task of cleaning and environmental sanitation. The Prime Minister suggested that the Ministry of National Defense mobilize military forces from all nearby provinces, cities, and localities to assist in any possible way.