Hanoi (VNA) - Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung called fordrastic measures to minimise the damage set to be caused by Etau and Vamco, the12th and 13th storms to hit the East Sea this year, at ameeting in Hanoi on November 10.

Joint efforts between the border guards, the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment’s Directorate of Fisheries, and cities and provinces are needed tomanage boats docking at ports and ensure that no one remains in vessels or ataquaculture sites when Storm Etau makes landfall on November 11, said Dung, whois also head of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Preventionand Control and Chairman of the National Committee for Disaster Response andSearch and Rescue.

Relevant authorities must stand ready to respond to emergencies in a timely manner,address the consequences of the storms, and search for the missing, hestressed.

They are also urged to keep a close watch on and update boat owners on the movementsof Storm Vamco.

Dung ordered storm-hit localities to inspect areas prone to flooding andlandslides, and evacuate local people to safety.

“The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Industryand Trade, the Ministry of Construction, and localities must work to ensuresafety at reservoirs and in lowland areas, examine information updates forlocal people on water discharge plans, and protect transport networks and powerinfrastructure,” he stressed.

According to the Director of the National Centre for Hydro-MeteorologicalForecasting, Mai Van Khiem, at 10 am on November 11, Etau’s eye will be over watersfrom Binh Dinh to Ninh Thuan provinces, packing winds of up to 75 km/h. Thestorm will move west at a speed of up to 15 km/h over the next 12 hours.

Coupled with a cold spell, the storm will bring heavy rains to localities fromQuang Tri to Khanh Hoa provinces.

Storm Vamco is also heading towards the East Sea. At 10 am on November 10, it was770 km southeast of Luzon island in the Philippines, with winds of up to 75 km/h.

It is forecast to enter the East Sea on November 12, with winds of up to 133 km/h,and will then hit the central region on November 14-15.

The Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has issuedDispatch No 36/CD-TW, ordering central and Central Highlands localities tocarry out appropriate response measures.

The Vietnam News Agency, Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, and media agenciesmust update the population on storm warnings as well as response efforts./.