Bac Giang (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a meeting with the administration of Bac Giang province and chaired a teleconference with other northern localities on September 10 to discuss response to severe flooding, landslides, and flash flooding.

After listening to local officials’ report on the flooding situation and consequences, he extended sympathies from Party and State leaders to the bereaved families and those hit by super Typhoon Yagi and accompanying downpour and flooding. He also praised local Party committees, administrations, and people’s active response to minimise losses.

Facing the complicated flooding situation, PM Chinh demanded Bac Giang thoroughly grasp the situation, take flexible and effective measures to protect important dykes, reservoirs and dams, and work to drain floodwater to save crops.

The province was requested to assess damage to give support to affected people so as to ensure that no one is left hungry, cold or homeless and students can return to school early, particularly in Van village of Van Ha commune, Viet Yen township, which is being isolated by flooding.

It needs to mobilise forces, especially armed forces, and people for responding to floods, cleaning up the environment, and restoring economic activities, he went on, demanding authorities inspect dykes, stay ready to cope with even the worst possible circumstances, and quickly stabilise the situation.

He ordered the banking, financial, and insurance sectors review damage suffered by people, enterprises, and cooperatives to carry out support policies to help them resume production and business activities.

The Government leader also appealed to people, enterprises, agencies, organisations, and the entire political system to join hands in addressing consequences and resuming economic and daily activities.

Following the working session with Bac Giang, PM Chinh chaired a teleconference with leaders of other northern localities, namely Yen Bai, Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho and Vinh Phuc provinces and Hanoi to look into flood response.

Flooding occurs on rivers in the northern region from the noon of September 10 to September 11. Many provinces are facing high risk of floods in low-lying and riverside areas, along with flash floods and landslides in mountainous places. In particular, water levels of some reservoirs like Thac Ba have almost reached the designed capacity and are now at a high risk of dam failures, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reported.

The PM told ministries, sectors, and localities to engage the entire political system in effectively implementing his five official dispatches on this issue and, especially, the directions by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam at the September 9 meeting of the Politburo.

He asked the ministries of national defence and public security to deploy personnel and equipment to deliver food and essential goods to flood victims, especially those in isolated areas.

Meanwhile, localities were requested to coordinate with related forces to seek every possible way to send essential supplies to people so that no one suffers from hunger, cold or homelessness, sick persons receive treatment, and students soon return to school.

With regard to some reservoirs and dams like Thac Ba now in danger, PM Chinh demanded localities to stay ready to cope with the worst possible circumstances, proactively prepare for evacuating residents to safer places when necessary, and declare a state of emergency in case of bad situations in accordance with regulations.

He also ordered the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment make precise forecasts of natural disasters, rain, and flooding while issuing warnings so that people and all-level authorities can ready response plans.

Besides, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, and Tuyen Quang provinces were asked to control water flows from upstream areas to downstream reservoirs and dams to reduce safety risks.

Earlier on September 10, PM Chinh visited Tien Son and Van Ha communes of Viet Yen district, Bac Giang province, to inspect rescue and relief efforts after Typhoon Yagi.

Local authorities reported that the storm and accompanting downpour and flooding have killed one and injured seven others in the province. Meanwhile, eight houses collapsed, a vast area of crops and forest were devastated, a large number of electricity facilities damaged, and many local roads recorded congestion due to landslides and flooding.

♐ On September 8, PM Chinh visited Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city, which were directly hit by Typhoon Yagi, to check response measures. He also deployed Deputy PMs to different localities to direct storm aftermath settlement efforts./.