PM directs Northern localities to proactively deal with rain-triggered floods

Tropical torrential rains triggering serious flooding and landslides hit the Northern provinces and cities in recent days, resulting in damage to people and properties and hugely affecting agricultural and fishery production activities. Notably, Lang Son and Bac Kan were the worst flood-affected localities in the mountainous region. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh extended his deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the victims. 
Amid the current chaos in the Northern region, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh today released a dispatch to require ministries, departments and localities to concentrate on overcoming damages, and proactively deal with more and more floods and downpours ahead. 

According to the National Center for Hydrology Meteorology Forecasting, from May 12 through May 16, it is forecast that the Northern provinces and cities will continue to suffer from heavy rainfalls leading to a high risk of a flash flood, landslides and flooding in the low-lying zones and urban areas. 

Amidst the complicated and unpredictable floods and landslides ahead, the Vietnamese PM directed the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, chairmen of the Provincial People’s Committees to concentrate on proactively implementing measures to overcome the consequences of rain and flood, ensure safety for people and minimize damage due to natural disasters. 

Specifically, it is necessary to closely monitor the development of rains and floods, proactively perform people evacuation from disaster-prone areas such as flash floods, landslides and flooding, support the affected families, households with difficult circumstances and the families of the victims, mobilize forces to help people quickly overcome consequences and restore agricultural production activities after floods.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is assigned to proactively organize the observations, forecast and timely provide information related to weather situations to functional agencies and people.  

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade are responsible to coordinate with localities in the inspection works and regulation of irrigation and hydropower reservoirs, contributing to reducing floodwater volume for the downstream area, especially early notifying the plan of flood discharge to people, the protection of agricultural and industrial production.

The direction and instruction of measures to ensure traffic safety in the affected localities are the assigned tasks of the Ministry of Transport. 

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