Urgent dispatch on response and overcoming consequences of floods, landslides, flash floods in...

Storm No. 3 has caused heavy rain over a wide area in the North, especially the mountainous and midland provinces of the North have had rain from 200 - 350mm (many places 400 - 500mm, some places nearly 600mm), floods on Thao and Luc Nam rivers have exceeded alert level 3, local flooding, landslides have occurred in many places, especially in Cao Bang, Hoa Binh , Lao Cai. According to the forecast of the National Center for Hydrometeorology in the coming days, the mountainous and midland areas of the North will continue to have heavy rain with rainfall of 100 - 200mm, some places over 350mm, with a very high risk of major floods, landslides, flash floods and local flooding in low-lying areas.

Pursuant to the Prime Minister's Official Dispatch No. 89/CD-TTg dated September 9, 2024 on focusing on overcoming the collapse of Phong Chau bridge, Phu Tho province and responding to and overcoming the consequences of floods, landslides, flash floods in the mountainous and midland provinces of the North, the Minister of Industry and Trade requests units in the industry and trade sector to strictly carry out with the highest responsibility the tasks assigned in the Official Dispatches of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Industry and Trade on responding to storm No. 3 and urgently carry out the following tasks:

1. Department of Industry and Trade of provinces and cities

- Strengthen the review and inspection of safety assurance and natural disaster prevention work at projects and works of the Industry and Trade sector, especially works under construction in areas at risk of flash floods, landslides, and low-lying areas to promptly direct units to overcome limitations and shortcomings to ensure safety for people and works.

- Direct units in the Industry and Trade sector to strengthen safety supervision, have response plans to ensure safety for people, works, machinery, equipment and prepare resources, means and materials to proactively deploy response measures to emergency situations caused by natural disasters; Do not allow the construction of camps and temporary houses in areas at risk of flash floods, landslides, and low-lying areas; Resolutely handle violating units.

- Direct hydropower dam owners in the area to strictly implement the inter-reservoir operation process and the reservoir operation process approved by competent authorities and the task requirements in this dispatch;

– Preside over and coordinate with local authorities and sectors to urgently organize inspections of flood discharge operations of hydropower plants, especially hydropower plants with flood prevention capacity and hydropower projects with downstream areas being flooded; inspect the work of ensuring the safety of dams and hydropower reservoirs, especially weak dams, small hydropower plants or those under construction or repair, promptly detect points at risk of landslides to put up warning signs, closely coordinate with local authorities to promptly inform and ensure safety for people, especially in emergency flood discharge situations.

2. Vietnam Electricity Group:

– Direct the Hoa Binh, Son La, Lai Chau , Huoi Quang, Ban Chat, Tuyen Quang, Thac Ba hydropower plants and hydropower projects under the management of the Northern and Central regions to strictly comply with the inter-reservoir operation process, the reservoir operation process approved by competent authorities and directed by the National Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and competent authorities; proactively prepare plans when unusual situations arise during the operation of the project, ensure absolute safety for hydropower projects and minimize damage to people and property of people in downstream areas caused by floods; strengthen warning information, notify local authorities at all levels and people in upstream and downstream areas early before operating flood discharge according to the process.

– Organize inspection teams and request hydropower units under their management to self-inspect the response, damage recovery and incidents caused by the circulation of storm No. 3 and the complicated flood situation.

– Closely monitor the development of natural disasters; fully prepare human resources, materials and means according to the "4 on-site" principle to respond to unusual incidents that may occur.

– Coordinate with the Department of Industry and Trade of localities to direct and inspect the implementation of measures to ensure the safety of dams, especially weak dams, small hydropower plants or those under construction or repair; the operation of hydropower reservoirs to ensure the safety of works and downstream safety in accordance with the development of rain and floods, especially large reservoirs on the Da River hydropower cascade system.

3. Corporations, General Companies, and Enterprises under the Ministry

- Strengthen the inspection of units and direct units to self-inspecte the work of ensuring safety and natural disaster prevention for construction works under their management, especially works under construction in areas at risk of flash floods, landslides, and low-lying areas to promptly direct units to overcome limitations and shortcomings to ensure safety for people and works.

– Direct units under their management to mobilize maximum resources, means and materials to be ready to respond to natural disasters; closely monitor weather forecasts, rain, floods and landslides to proactively deploy safety measures.

– Increase awareness and skills for workers on safety measures and response to possible natural disasters.

4. Owners of hydroelectric dams

– Strictly comply with the operating procedures for inter-reservoirs and single hydroelectric reservoirs approved by competent authorities, especially when unusual situations arise; operate scientifically, ensure absolute safety for the project, prevent artificial floods, contribute to flood reduction downstream, and pay attention to notify people early before operating flood discharge.

– Mobilize maximum resources and equipment to provide warning information and notify local authorities and people in downstream areas as soon as possible before discharging flood water according to procedures and operating instructions of competent authorities, especially in emergency flood discharge situations.

– Strengthen inspection and assessment of dam status, equipment, flood discharge and water intake operations, flood discharge warning systems in downstream areas, etc. and promptly correct any defects (if any).

– Organize 24/7 duty, maintain continuous communication with the Disaster Prevention Command Committee at all levels, deploy plans to ensure the safety of dams, downstream areas of reservoirs and unfinished construction works, especially key and vulnerable works; promptly post notice signs, warning people about dangerous areas within the protection range of dams and hydroelectric reservoirs; closely coordinate with local authorities in disaster response and ensure safety for people in downstream areas, especially in emergency flood discharge situations.

5. Department of Industrial Safety Techniques and Environment

– Closely monitor the developments of storm No. 3 to promptly direct and urge units to deploy response measures.

– Urge units to strictly implement the Official Dispatches of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Industry and Trade and regulations on technical safety and natural disaster prevention under the management authority of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Source: https://moit.gov.vn/tin-tuc/thong-bao/cong-dien-hoa-toc-ve-viec-ung-pho-khac-phuc-hau-qua-mua-lu-sat-lo-dat-lu-ong-lu-quet-tai-cac-tinh-mien-nui-trung-du-bac-.html