Prime Minister: Anticipate the worst-case scenario of storm No. 9, don't be passive or surprised

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has just signed and issued Official Dispatch No. 171/CD-TTg, dated September 23, 2025, directing the focus on implementing response work to storm No. 9 (super storm Ragasa).

Right after storm number 9, there is a risk that storm number 10 will continue to move into the East Sea.

The Prime Minister telegraphs: Secretaries and Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and cities from Ha Tinh to the North; Ministers of the Ministries of National Defense, Public Security, Agriculture and Environment, Construction, Industry and Trade, Culture, Sports and Tourism, Foreign Affairs, Science and Technology, Education and Training, and Health; General Directors of Vietnam News Agency, Vietnam Television, and Voice of Vietnam ; Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper; Office of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee.

On the evening of September 22, super typhoon Ragasa moved into the East Sea and became storm number 9. At 4:00 p.m. on September 23, the center of the storm was at about 20.6 degrees north latitude; 116.7 degrees east longitude, about 680km east of Leizhou Peninsula (China), the strongest wind near the center of the storm was still at level 16-17 (super typhoon level), gusting above level 17.

According to the forecast of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the storm will continue to maintain the intensity of a super storm (level 16-17), gusting above level 17 until the morning of September 24 before gradually weakening (but still a very strong storm).

Early in the morning of September 25, the storm will move into the Gulf of Tonkin. The storm intensity in the Gulf of Tonkin is still strong at level 11-12, gusting at level 14-15. On September 25, the storm will make landfall directly on the mainland of the Northern region with strong winds of level 10-11, gusting at level 12-13 along the coast, level 8-9, gusting at level 10-11 on land.

The movement of storm No. 9 at 4 p.m. on September 23. (Photo: VNA)

Super typhoon No. 9 has very strong intensity at sea, very wide range of strong winds, waves over 10m high, rough seas, especially dangerous for ships operating in the northern East Sea area, the storm can cause heavy rain in the Northern provinces and Thanh Hoa, Nghe An with rainfall of about 150-250mm, locally over 400mm, risk of flash floods, landslides, affecting the safety of dams, flooding in urban areas and low-lying areas.

Right after storm No. 9, there is a risk that storm No. 10 will continue to move into the East Sea, potentially directly impacting our country's sea and land areas, affecting production activities at sea.

To proactively respond to storm No. 9, ensure people's safety, and reduce damage to people's and State's property, the Prime Minister requests:

Responding decisively to storm No. 9, must not be negligent or subjective

Ministers of the Ministries of National Defense, Public Security, Agriculture and Environment, Construction, Industry and Trade, Science and Technology, Education and Training, and Health; Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and cities from Quang Ngai and above must continue to seriously and resolutely implement the Prime Minister's direction in Official Dispatch No. 170/CD-TTg dated September 22; must not be negligent or subjective, must organize monitoring, updating, grasping the situation, proactively and promptly directing and deploying measures to respond to storm No. 9 according to their functions, tasks and authority with the most determined spirit, proactively responding at the highest level, anticipating the worst scenario, not being passive or surprised, putting the goal of ensuring people's safety first and foremost.

Be responsible to the Government and the Prime Minister if there is a lack of responsibility in advising, leading, and directing, causing damage to people's lives and property.

Be ready to organize evacuation and relocation of residents to ensure safety before the storm makes landfall.

The Secretaries and Chairmen of the People's Committees of the above-mentioned provinces and cities, especially coastal localities from Quang Ninh to Thanh Hoa (where strong winds are forecasted to occur), focus on leading and directing the implementation of measures to respond to the super typhoon, focusing on: ensuring the safety of people's lives, especially the elderly, children, students, and other vulnerable groups; ensuring safety for vessels operating at sea and along the coast (including means of exploitation and fishing of aquatic products, transport vessels, tourist vessels, etc.), activities at sea, on islands, along the coast and inland.

Protect houses, warehouses, factories, headquarters of agencies, units, educational and medical facilities, dike systems, dams, infrastructure works, production and business activities, especially agricultural production, aquaculture at sea and along the coast with the motto "green house is better than old field."

Review plans, be ready to organize evacuation and relocation of residents to ensure safety before the storm makes landfall, and deploy rescue work when bad situations occur...

Warning of the worst possible scenario to proactively respond

The Minister of Agriculture and Environment, according to his functions, tasks and authority, directs the forecasting and provides the most complete, timely and accurate information on the developments and impacts of storms, and warns of the worst possible scenarios (including the risk of storm No. 10 appearing in the East Sea right after storm No. 9 makes landfall) so that authorities and people know and proactively deploy appropriate and effective response work.

Implement work to ensure safety for fishing vessels, protect dykes, irrigation dams and agricultural production, especially aquaculture at sea; coordinate and direct the safe and effective operation of reservoirs, avoiding risks of dam safety.

The organization closely monitors the situation, regularly updates and announces dangerous areas at sea.

Urge sectors and localities to deploy storm response work in accordance with the actual situation, promptly report and propose to the National Civil Defense Steering Committee and the Prime Minister to direct issues beyond their authority.

Special attention should be paid to ensuring safety for transportation and tourism activities at sea and along the coast.

Ministers of the Ministries of Construction, Industry and Trade, Culture, Sports and Tourism, Science and Technology, Education and Training, and Health, according to their functions, tasks, and authority, proactively direct and urge the implementation of effective measures to respond to the super typhoon to protect forces, vehicles, equipment, and facilities under their management, paying special attention to ensuring safety for transportation and tourism activities at sea and along the coast; safety of road, sea, waterway, rail, and air traffic; safety of oil and gas activities at sea; safety of hydroelectric dams, power transmission systems, telecommunications systems, educational and medical establishments, production, business, and service establishments.

Authorities inspect vehicles anchored at the Cai Rong port storm shelter (Van Don Special Economic Zone). (Photo: VNA)

Ministers of the Ministries of National Defense and Public Security direct the work of ensuring safety for military and police forces, vehicles, and equipment; direct units located in areas at risk of being affected by storms to review plans, proactively arrange forces and vehicles ready to support localities in implementing storm response work, especially supporting evacuation, relocation of residents, and rescue when requested.

Ready to coordinate and mobilize forces and means to respond to storms and floods

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 storms and floods according to assigned functions and tasks.

The General Director of Vietnam News Agency, Vietnam Television, and Voice of Vietnam coordinate with relevant agencies to increase information on the developments, impacts, and danger levels of super typhoon Ragasa to inform people about the developments of the storm, the direction of the Government, the Prime Minister, and relevant agencies at the central and local levels to proactively implement response measures, limit damage caused by natural disasters; and guide people on storm response skills to reduce damage.

The Prime Minister assigned the Acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment and the Chief of Office of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee to organize working groups to inspect, urge, and coordinate with localities in responding to the storm, based on the specific situation and developments of the storm.

The Prime Minister assigned Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha to continue directing ministries, branches and localities to promptly deploy storm response work.

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

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/thu-tuong-luong-truoc-kich-ban-xau-nhat-cua-bao-so-9-khong-de-bi-dong-bat-ngo-post1063559.vnp