Hanoi (VNA) – With tropical storm Wipha expected to enter the East Sea on July 19 and potentially strike Vietnam’s mainland by July 21, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep called for urgent preparations.
The storm is forecast to bring torrential rains, particularly to the northwestern region, threatening widespread flooding, Hiep said at the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment's meeting in Hanoi on July 17.
Hiep asked the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting to closely track the storm’s path and offer timely updates to authorities and the public.
He also tasked the Department of Dike Management and Disaster Prevention with coordinating response efforts of ministries and affected regions, deploying officers to critical areas to bolster preparedness.
Addressing concerns over reservoir safety, Hiep proposed the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Department of Water Resources under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and local authorities to inspect all reservoirs, especially small, vulnerable, or under-construction facilities. He also called for careful management of reservoir discharges, especially along the Red River basin, to safeguard downstream communities.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mai Van Khiem, Director of the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the storm is forecast to reach the Gulf of Tonkin by July 21 morning, impacting the mainland through the night the same day. Northern and north-central provinces, including Thanh Hoa and Nghe An, could see heavy to extreme rainfall, with accumulations of 200 to 350mm, and some areas potentially exceeding 600mm from July 21-24.
To ensure public awareness, Hiep instructed state media outlets, including the Vietnam News Agency, Vietnam Television, and Radio the Voice of Vietnam, to regularly broadcast storm updates and warnings.
On the same day, the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army issued an urgent dispatch, requesting military units nationwide to prepare rapid response to the storm./.
