Prime Minister's telegram on focusing on emergency response to storm No. 5

The Prime Minister emphasized that storm No. 5 is very strong and has a wide range of influence; ministries, branches and localities must not be subjective, need to urgently check and review response plans, and proactively protect people.

At 7:00 p.m. on August 23, the center of the storm was at about 17.7 degrees North latitude; 113.7 degrees East longitude, about 220km northeast of Hoang Sa special zone. (Source: nchmf)

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has just issued Official Dispatch No. 143/CD-TTg dated August 23, 2025 on focusing on emergency response to storm No. 5 in 2025.

Telegrams sent to: Secretaries and Chairmen of the People's Committees of the following provinces and cities: Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Hue, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Gia Lai; Ministers of the following Ministries: National Defense, Public Security, Agriculture and Environment, Construction, Industry and Trade, Culture, Sports and Tourism, Science and Technology, Education and Training, Health; General Directors of Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam , Vietnam News Agency; Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper; Office of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee.

Most urgent, most drastic, proactive response measures at the highest level

According to the content of the Telegram: Storm No. 5 (international name Kajiki) is strengthening and moving very quickly (speed of about 25 km/hour) towards the sea and mainland of the Central region of our country.

According to the forecast of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (up to now), tomorrow afternoon (August 24), the storm will move into the sea area from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri with strong winds of level 12, gusting to level 14-15 and continuing to strengthen.

On August 25, the storm will make landfall directly in the area from Nghe An to Quang Tri with the strongest winds at sea reaching level 12-13, gusting to level 15.

Due to the storm's influence, from tomorrow night (August 24), on land from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri, winds will gradually increase to level 7-9, then increase to level 10-11, near the storm's center level 11-12, gusting to level 14.

From the night of August 24 to August 27, the area from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri will have heavy rain, with common rainfall of 150-300mm, in some places over 600mm, with a very high risk of flash floods, landslides in mountainous areas and flooding in low-lying areas, riverbanks, and urban areas.

Nghe An Border Guards help fishermen anchor their boats at safe shelters. (Photo: VNA)

This is a very strong storm, with a very wide range of influence, moving very quickly, and is especially dangerous. Domestic and international forecasting agencies have predicted that the storm will make landfall directly on our mainland with strong intensity.

Following the telegram No. 141/CD-TTg dated August 22, to proactively respond to storm No. 5 and floods caused by the storm, ensure the safety of people's lives, and minimize damage to people's and State's property, the Prime Minister requested: Ministers of the Ministries of National Defense, Public Security, Agriculture and Environment, Construction, Industry and Trade, Science and Technology, Education and Training, and Health; The Secretaries and Chairmen of the People's Committees of coastal provinces and cities from Quang Ninh to Quang Ngai must not be negligent or subjective, but must focus on leading, directing, and effectively implementing measures to respond to storm No. 5 and floods caused by storms with the most urgent and drastic spirit, proactively taking response measures at the highest level to ensure the safety of people's lives and property, and limit damage to people's and State's property, especially now that the whole country is focusing on preparing for the 80th anniversary of National Day, September 2.

The Secretaries and Chairmen of the People's Committees of coastal provinces and cities from Quang Ninh to Quang Ngai, especially Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri provinces and Hue city (where the storm is forecast to make direct landfall) have postponed meetings and work that is not really necessary, mobilized the entire local political system to participate, focused on leading, directing, implementing and urging the response to storm No. 5 and floods caused by the storm.

In particular, localities continue to review and count boats and vehicles operating at sea; use all measures to inform boats and vehicles still operating at sea about the storm's developments; guide them to move out of and not enter areas at risk of being affected by the storm; call on and guide boats and vehicles to safe storm shelters; guide and support people to deploy necessary measures to ensure the safety of boats at anchorage (to prevent sinking at shelters).

Based on the specific situation, the locality proactively decided to ban the sea from August 24 (in which it is especially important to ban the sea early to prevent storms and lightning many hours before the storm directly affects); decided to control and restrict means of transport during the time the storm directly affects to limit incidents and ensure the safety of people's lives.

Functional units direct, guide, inspect, urge and mobilize forces (army, police, youth...) to support people in strengthening houses, trimming trees, reinforcing and protecting headquarters, warehouses, production, business and service establishments, public works (especially educational and medical facilities), infrastructure works (especially paying attention to dikes, dams, high towers such as television, radio, telecommunications, power grids, advertising signs,...);

Implement measures to protect production, especially agricultural production; support people in harvesting agricultural products, especially crops and aquaculture areas that are about to be harvested with the motto "green at home is better than old in the fields" to limit damage caused by storms and floods.

Border guards at stations in Quang Tri province arrange and call on boats to come ashore to avoid and take shelter from the storm. (Photo: VNA)

Localities urgently review plans, proactively arrange forces and means to be ready to organize and implement evacuation support work, and relocate people in unsafe areas, especially in weak houses, low-lying residential areas, places at risk of coastal and riverside landslides, areas affected by big waves, flooding due to rising sea levels, heavy rains, and at risk of flash floods and landslides.

Authorities are determined not to let people stay on boats, rafts, or aquaculture huts when the storm directly affects them (if necessary, coercive measures must be taken to ensure people's safety).

Localities must proactively direct operations to ensure the safety of hydroelectric and irrigation dams, prevent overlapping floods, and contribute to reducing flooding downstream, without being caught off guard.

Relevant parties proactively arrange forces, materials and means in key areas to be ready to deploy response, rescue and relief work when situations arise; reserve food, provisions and necessities in residential areas that are prone to isolation due to floods and landslides, to limit food shortages when storms and floods cause prolonged isolation.

The Minister of Agriculture and Environment directed the hydrometeorological forecasting agency to continue to closely monitor, proactively coordinate, and consult international forecast information to forecast and provide the earliest, most complete, and most accurate information on the developments of storm No. 5 and floods to authorities and people so that they can proactively and effectively respond.

The Ministry proactively directs the implementation of work to ensure the safety of the dike system, irrigation dams, protect and reduce damage to agricultural production; coordinates with the industry and trade sector to support localities in directing the safe and effective operation of the inter-reservoir system, preventing unsafe dams and reservoirs.

Organize 24/7 on-duty teams to closely monitor the situation, regularly update and proactively announce dangerous areas at sea so that ships and vehicles operating at sea know not to enter and exit dangerous areas.

The Ministry proactively coordinates with localities, relevant agencies and units to direct and guide the safety of ships at anchorages to avoid storms; urges localities to deploy response work appropriate to the actual situation, promptly reports and proposes to the National Civil Defense Steering Committee and the Prime Minister to direct issues beyond their authority.

The Minister of Construction directs competent agencies to coordinate with localities to immediately review all ships and means of transport (including river-sea vessels) operating at sea, coastal areas, and estuaries in areas at risk of being affected by storm No. 5, proactively guide them to move out of dangerous areas or into safe shelters. The Ministry directs the work of ensuring safety for civil works, construction activities, and ensuring traffic safety (including on expressways and national highways in areas affected by storm No. 5) during the time the storm is directly affected.

Deputy Director of the Hue Department of Agriculture and Environment Le Van Anh directed people to speed up the rice harvest before storm No. 5 makes landfall. (Photo: VNA)

Relevant parties directed the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center to arrange vehicles in key areas where storm No. 5 is forecast to directly affect, to be ready to coordinate with relevant agencies, units and forces to quickly deploy response and search and rescue work when a situation occurs.

The Minister of Industry and Trade directs the work of ensuring safety for industrial production activities, especially offshore oil and gas exploitation, mining, tunneling, ensuring the safety of hydroelectric dams, power systems, limiting damage caused by storm No. 5 and floods; ensuring the supply of essential goods, avoiding shortages, and taking advantage of natural disasters to unreasonably increase prices.

The Minister of National Defense directs the implementation of work to ensure safety for military forces, vehicles and equipment; directs military regions and units located in areas at risk of being affected by storm No. 5 to proactively review plans, arrange forces and vehicles ready to support localities in implementing response and rescue work when requested.

The Minister of Public Security directed relevant units and local police forces to prepare forces and means to ensure security and order, support people in evacuating, relocating, responding to storm No. 5, floods, landslides, flash floods, and rescue when requested by the locality.

The Minister of Science and Technology directed telecommunications service providers to have solutions to ensure the safety of telecommunications infrastructure works to ensure continuous and smooth information between the central and local levels, between the provincial and commune levels, and to overcome the situation of communication loss immediately when storms and floods occur.

Proactively review response scenarios

The Ministers of the Ministries of Education and Training and Health direct the implementation of work to ensure safety for forces, equipment, and infrastructure under the management of the sector to limit damage, not to affect the opening ceremony and study of students, maintain emergency activities, and promptly restore normal medical examination and treatment activities for people immediately after storms and floods.

The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism directed the implementation of work to ensure safety for tourists and tourism activities and festivals.

Border guards at stations in Quang Tri province arrange and call on boats to come ashore to avoid and take shelter from the storm. (Photo: VNA)

The Chief of Office of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee coordinates with the competent agencies of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to closely monitor the situation, proactively review response scenarios, and be ready to coordinate and mobilize forces and means to support localities in responding to storm No. 5 and floods according to assigned functions and tasks.

General Director: Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam News Agency and media agencies increase broadcasting time and reporting so that people can grasp information about the developments of storm No. 5, floods, and instructions from the Government, Prime Minister and central and local authorities to proactively implement response measures and limit damage caused by natural disasters; instruct people on skills to respond to strong storms and floods to reduce damage.

The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to preside over organizing a working group to inspect, urge, and coordinate with localities to direct the implementation of response work to storm No. 5 in the provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An; the Ministry of National Defense to preside over organizing a working group to inspect, urge, and coordinate with localities to direct the implementation of response work to storm No. 5 and floods in the provinces of Ha Tinh and Quang Tri.

The Prime Minister assigned Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha to continue directing ministries, branches and localities to deploy response work to storm No. 5 and floods.

The Government Office monitors and urges ministries and localities to seriously implement this Official Dispatch; promptly reports to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in charge on urgent and arising issues.

According to VNA

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/cong-dien-cua-thu-tuong-chinh-phu-ve-tap-trung-ung-pho-khan-cap-bao-so-5-259182.htm