Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhon September 27 issued an additional dispatch to ministries, sectors andlocalities, requesting them to apply urgent measures to respond to Noru,an extremely strong storm that is likely to hit the central region soon.

Noting that the storm is moving fast towards the sea andmainland of Vietnam and developing complicatedly, the leader asked localities to take the protection of human lives as the top priority, while working to minimiselosses in property.

He ordered the National Steering Committee for NaturalDisaster Prevention and Control, the National Committee for Natural DisasterResponse and Search and Rescue, as well as ministries, sectors and localities tocontinue to review their plans to respond to the storm and apply specific measuresfollowing the development of the storm.

Localities that are likely to be affected by the storm - QuangTri, Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Gia Lai and KonTum - must mobilise the engagement of the whole political system in the work, whilesending leaders to localities to directly guide responding activities, herequested.

The Government leader also underlined the need to evacuatepeople from high-risk areas, ensure the supply of food and drinks for people andprevent diseases.

He also gave specific directions to ministries, sectors andlocalities to ensure safety of vessels, crops and traffic, and to stand ready toconduct search and rescue activities.

Also on September 27, at a meeting of the VietnamMeteorological and Hydrological Administration under the Ministry of NaturalResources and Environment, Minister Tran Hong Ha asked the administration togive timely forecasts on the development of the storm, enabling localities andpeople to actively apply responding measures.

Minister Ha requested that from now until theevening of September 27, the National Centre for Hydro-meteorologicalForecasting and hydro-meteorological stations of regions and provinces andcities to increase the frequency of hydro-meteorological forecasts and updateinformation in a full and accurate manner.

According to Director of National Centre forHydro-meteorological Forecasting Mai Van Khiem, Noru is forecast to cause torrential rainswith rainfall of 300-400mm and even 500mm, leading to widespread floods fromQuang Binh to Binh Dinh provinces.

Bracing themselves for the storm, regional localities have promptlyapplied measures to minimise losses in property and human lives.

Chairman of Binh Dinh province People's Committee Pham Anh Tuan has asked alllocalities to move people in vessels and aquatic farms to the mainland before15pm of September 27.

Meanwhile, Ninh Thuan has guided 1,839 vessels to dock insafe shelters. Quang Ngai province is evacuating 22,099 people in high-risk areasto safer places.

On September 27, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam(CAAV) announced that it will temporary close five airports in centrallocalities from September 28. Meanwhile, airports in Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue,Binh Dinh and Gia Lai have been closed from the noon of September 27 to themorning of September 28./.