Prime Minister directs to focus on overcoming consequences of floods caused by storm No. 2

Telegrams sent to Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities; Ministers of: National Defense, Public Security, Natural Resources and Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, Industry and Trade, Transport, Construction, Health, Education and Training, Information and Communications.

Due to the impact of storm No. 2, the Northern region and Thanh Hoa, Nghe An have had heavy to very heavy rain, causing localized flooding, affecting production, business and people's lives in Chuong My - Hanoi, Son La city and some other areas, especially serious human losses occurred in Mai Son and Thuan Chau districts, Son La province due to landslides, flash floods, killing at least 5 people, 4 people missing and 1 person injured. The Prime Minister sent his deepest condolences to the relatives of the victims' families, sharing the difficulties and losses of the Party Committee, government and people in the areas affected by natural disasters and floods.

Currently, it is the main flood season in the North and the Central Highlands provinces. In the coming time, floods will continue to be complicated and unpredictable, with a high risk of further major floods, flash floods, and landslides. In order to quickly overcome the consequences of floods caused by storm No. 2 and proactively respond to possible floods in the coming time, the Prime Minister requests that Ministers and Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and cities not be negligent, subjective, or lose vigilance, continue to closely monitor the development of natural disasters, proactively direct and deploy response work according to their authority, ensuring timeliness, effectiveness, and closeness to the natural disaster situation in the area, focusing on the following specific tasks:

1. The Chairman of Son La Provincial People's Committee directly directed the quick overcoming of consequences of floods and landslides caused by storm No. 2:

Review and identify missing cases (if any) to organize search and rescue with the most urgent and drastic spirit; organize treatment for the injured; coordinate with families to take care of funerals for those who died; visit, encourage, and implement support policies for affected families, especially those with victims according to regulations.

Provide timely support for food and necessities to households at risk of hunger and arrange temporary accommodation for households that have lost their homes.

Mobilize disaster prevention and control forces and forces participating in protecting security and order at the grassroots level to coordinate with local authorities to organize inspections, carefully review, and identify areas at risk of landslides and flash floods to have proactive evacuation and relocation plans, ensure safety of life, and limit damage during floods.

Organize inspection, review and assessment of the causes of landslides and floods in Son La city to find solutions to overcome and limit damage caused by floods and landslides.

2. Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities shall direct the review, update and completion of disaster prevention and control plans in their localities in accordance with the developments of natural disasters and specific local conditions (in which it is necessary to pay special attention to proactive and drastic measures to reduce human losses caused by flash floods and landslides); closely monitor the natural disaster situation, proactively direct and deploy response and recovery work following the "four on-site motto" to ensure timeliness and effectiveness to reduce losses to people. Chairmen of provincial People's Committees shall be responsible to the Prime Minister if there is negligence or subjectivity in leadership and direction leading to loss of people's lives.

3. The Minister of Public Security directs local police to coordinate with the People's Committee of Son La province and other localities to focus on implementing search and rescue work, overcoming the consequences of natural disasters, floods, and landslides as requested by localities.

4. The Minister of National Defense shall proactively direct forces stationed in the area to coordinate with the People's Committee of Son La province and localities to deploy response and recovery work for floods and landslides according to regulations.

5. The Minister of Transport directs relevant agencies and units to continue coordinating with relevant forces and localities to deploy traffic safety work, support localities to quickly overcome landslides on traffic routes, especially on national highways and main traffic routes.

6. The Ministers of the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development and Industry and Trade, according to their assigned functions and tasks, shall coordinate with localities to direct the safe operation of irrigation and hydroelectric reservoirs, especially large reservoirs on the Da River hydroelectric cascade system, ensuring absolute safety for the works, contributing to flood reduction downstream, effectively exploiting water resources; directing the work of ensuring safety for agricultural and industrial production; quickly restoring damaged power systems, ensuring safe power supply for production and people's daily life.

7. The Minister of Construction directs relevant agencies to coordinate with localities where deep flooding in urban areas and landslides frequently occur during heavy rains recently (including the provinces of Son La, Ha Giang, Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang, Lam Dong and Da Nang city...) and relevant agencies and units to inspect and specifically assess the causes, and have fundamental solutions to overcome and limit damage and impacts on production, business and people's lives.

8. The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment directs the hydrometeorological forecasting agency to continue to closely monitor the developments of floods, natural disasters, forecasts, and promptly inform authorities and people to proactively direct and deploy response work.

9. Other ministries and branches, according to their assigned state management functions, shall proactively coordinate and support localities in implementing response and recovery work for natural disasters according to regulations.

10. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development shall organize a 24/7 duty to closely monitor the situation and developments of natural disasters, proactively direct and urge ministries, branches and localities to deploy work to prevent, combat and overcome the consequences of natural disasters according to the tasks assigned in Resolution No. 102/NQ-CP, report and propose to the Prime Minister to direct issues beyond his authority.