Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung chaired an urgent meeting with four localities, including Khanh Hoa, Gia Lai, Dak Lak and Lam Dong, on flood response work - Photo: VGP/Gia Huy
On the evening of November 20, right after flying a helicopter to inspect the entire flooded area in Khanh Hoa , Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung personally went down to check the situation and visit people in deeply flooded areas in Dien Khanh district, Khanh Hoa province.
The Deputy Prime Minister visited the areas of Dien Khanh district that were deeply flooded and isolated, making it difficult to access, evacuate and support people. He visited the flooded areas where people were temporarily evacuated to directly assess the situation and encourage people to overcome the immediate difficulties.
The Deputy Prime Minister requested functional forces and local authorities to immediately deploy measures to ensure safety for people, especially households in areas with strong currents and landslide risks; at the same time, ensure adequate supplies of necessities and clean water, and prevent hunger, loss of contact or prolonged isolation.
Immediately after completing the field inspection, on the evening of November 20, at the headquarters of the Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung chaired an online meeting with 4 localities: Khanh Hoa, Gia Lai, Dak Lak and Lam Dong on flood response work.
The Deputy Prime Minister requested to put people's lives first and foremost; mobilize all forces, use all means and nearest equipment to immediately access deeply flooded and isolated areas; ensure that people do not go hungry, cry for help on rooftops, or lose contact; resolutely protect people's lives - Photo: VGP/Gia Huy
The Government urgently directed and mobilized all forces to respond.
Attending the meeting were Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang; Secretary of Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee Nghiem Xuan Thanh; Lieutenant General Le Quang Dao, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army; representatives of the Ministry of Public Security, the Government Office, and leaders of Gia Lai, Dak Lak and Lam Dong provinces at online bridges.
According to the report of the authorities, due to the influence of cold air and strong easterly winds, from 1:00 a.m. on November 16 to 2:00 p.m. on November 20, Dak Lak province had heavy to very heavy rain, with rainfall ranging from 500-1,000 mm, in some places over 1,700 mm; Gia Lai and Khanh Hoa provinces had rainfall ranging from 400-600 mm, in some places over 800 mm.
In particular, within 24 hours (from 7:00 p.m. on November 18 to 7:00 p.m. on November 19), in the Dak Lak area (part of the old Phu Yen province), there was especially heavy rain over a wide area, with common rainfall of 400-600 mm; some places were larger, such as: Hoa My Tay 841 mm, Son Thanh Dong 827 mm, Son Thanh Tay 790 mm.
Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang reports at the meeting - Photo: VGP/Gia Huy
Heavy rains over a large area forced reservoirs to operate to ensure safety; floods on major rivers in Dak Lak, Gia Lai, and Khanh Hoa rose very quickly, in many places exceeding alert level 3, even exceeding historical flood levels. At Cung Son station, the flood exceeded the peak in 1993 by 1.09 m (peaking at 40.99 m at 1:00 a.m. on November 20).
Currently, the flood on the rivers is receding, but is still at a very high level, the flooding situation continues to be serious.
The Prime Minister has issued five telegrams directing the response to the flood. Government leaders regularly contact localities to direct the evacuation of people, operate dams, mobilize the army, police, equipment and food to support people in deep flooded areas; request that people do not go hungry or lack clean water.
From November 18-20, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung directly inspected and directed in Khanh Hoa and Dak Lak, worked online with leaders of Gia Lai, Dak Lak, and Khanh Hoa to request all forces to evacuate people, ensuring safety of life is the highest priority.
Photo: VGP/Gia Huy
Concentrating on evacuating people and overcoming isolation in 4 localities
Lam Dong provincial leaders said that landslides on major roads are at an alarming level. The most serious incident was at Bao Loc Pass last night, when a large amount of rock and soil fell down, causing a 50-seat passenger bus to almost fall into the abyss. Luckily, the bus stopped in time at the edge of the abyss, and all passengers were rescued safely.
In addition, Mimosa Pass has a 50m long, 40m deep crack right at the bend; Prenn Pass also recorded a crack of more than 200m. Lam Dong Province said the damage this time was very large, with the total value of property and housing damage estimated at 1,000 billion VND. The province requested the Ministry of Construction to urgently send geological experts to support the handling of landslides and the Ministry of Finance to support funding to overcome the consequences.
Gia Lai provincial leaders said they have proactively implemented flood and storm prevention work. From November 15 to 10:00 a.m. on November 17, more than 28,000 households were evacuated from vulnerable areas. However, due to the double impact of storm No. 9 and this flood, infrastructure was severely damaged. Gia Lai requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to closely coordinate the hydropower discharge process to reduce the load on downstream areas, and at the same time asked to retain military and police forces to support post-flood reconstruction.
Dak Lak province’s leaders said that many areas are still isolated, and the water in the downstream areas is receding slowly. The province has proposed urgent support of 2,000 tons of national reserve rice. Health and environmental sanitation issues after the flood are the biggest concerns. The province has asked the central government to provide additional Cloramin B chemicals, medicines, and send military medical forces to support water treatment and disease prevention.
Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Secretary Nghiem Xuan Thanh said this was a historic flood, with rainfall of nearly 500 mm in some places, lasting for 3 consecutive days and spreading across the province. The narrow and steep terrain caused the water to rise very quickly. "In just 2 hours, the water rose to 2 meters, very dangerous," he said. Preliminary damage to infrastructure and production is about 760 billion VND, expected to increase in the coming days.
Khanh Hoa province requested the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security to continue to maintain support forces; at the same time requested the Central Government to support funding for repairing and upgrading key reservoirs to ensure safety for downstream areas.
Deputy Prime Minister visits people in flooded areas of Dien Khanh commune - Photo: VGP/Gia Huy
The army mobilized maximum force and the most modern means to save people.
At the meeting, Lieutenant General Le Quang Dao gave an urgent order to Military Region 5: At all costs, approach house number 7 in Phu Phong village, Hoa Thinh commune, where 5 people (including a 94-year-old man and a child) were calling for help. Despite the dangerous weather and strong currents making it difficult for canoes to approach, the order was “to rescue them at all costs”.
Due to the isolation of many areas in the Central Highlands and Khanh Hoa, the army has deployed four helicopters at Cam Ranh and Phu Cat airports, ready to drop relief supplies when roads and waterways are inaccessible.
The army mobilized more than 64,500 officers and soldiers and more than 4,000 vehicles. Military Region 5 alone deployed nearly 46,000 troops.
Military Region 5 also established a rescue information plan to ensure communication in areas where there is no signal in Dak Lak.
Police deployed canoes, amphibious vehicles, and life buoys to support.
The Ministry of Public Security mobilized more than 41,700 officers and soldiers and more than 3,200 vehicles. The Ministry prepared 105 canoes, more than 8,000 life buoys, 3 specialized amphibious vehicles, and hundreds of rafts to be ready for support.
Police also increased patrols to prevent theft, speculation, price increases of essential goods, and the spread of false information causing panic.
Many areas of Dien Khanh district were deeply flooded and isolated - Photo: VGP/Gia Huy
Approach flooded areas, do not let people call for help at night
Concluding the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung requested the entire political system to concentrate, making the goal of rescuing people the number one priority. He requested that by all means, people be immediately approached to deeply flooded areas, absolutely not letting people cry for help on rooftops at night.
The Deputy Prime Minister requested the maximum mobilization of forces and means; if necessary, goods should be dropped from helicopters. Military and police barracks in high places must be opened to receive people.
Regarding communications, he requested immediate restoration, because the loss of communications in Dak Lak was "very dangerous".
Authorities and local authorities deploy measures to ensure people's safety - Photo: VGP/Gia Huy
Regarding reservoir operations, the Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to ensure scientific operations, putting the safety of downstream people first.
He affirmed that the Government will immediately provide famine relief rice if needed by the locality; no one will go hungry.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized: All forces must act as quickly, strongly and resolutely as possible to save the people.
Gia Huy
Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/pho-thu-tuong-ho-quoc-dung-khong-de-nguoi-dan-keu-cuu-trong-dem-bang-moi-cach-tiep-can-vung-ngap-sau-cuu-dan-102251120200443031.htm
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