Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the Deputy Prime Ministers, and staffs of the Government Office and the Government Party Committee’s assistant agencies each donated at least one day’s salary to help residents in areas devastated by recent storms and floods, at a fundraising ceremony hosted by the agencies in Hanoi on October 3.
A day earlier, PM Pham Minh Chinh approved over 2.52 trillion VND (over 95.5 million USD) from the central budget reserve in 2025 for 15 localities to support livelihoods; repair dikes, irrigation reservoirs and disaster prevention facilities; restore essential infrastructure; and resettle residents in urgent disaster-hit areas affected by natural disasters since early this year.
Also on October 2 afternoon, the Presidium of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee launched a national donation drive for victims of Typhoon Bualoi.
In September, four consecutive storms struck Vietnam, with Typhoon Bualoi, the 10th storm of the year, proving especially destructive. It brought heavy rains, flash floods, landslides, and widespread inundation, with river water levels in many areas exceeding Alert Level 3 and, in some places, even surpassing historic flood records.
This was one of the most severe natural disasters in recent years, heavily impacting economic and social activities and damaging infrastructure from coastal areas to lowlands, midlands, and mountainous regions. It caused serious losses of lives, property, and infrastructure across northern and north-central localities.
As of 8pm on October 2, preliminary reports showed 65 dead or missing, and 164 injured; 349 houses collapsed, over 170,000 homes damaged or unroofed. Nearly 1,450 schools and 145 medical facilities were affected, while more than 100,000 ha of rice, crop, and aquaculture areas were submerged or destroyed. Many transport routes and essential infrastructure suffered landslides and severe damage. Initial economic losses in several provinces are estimated at 15.86 trillion VND (over 601 million USD).
Party General Secretary To Lam, the permanent member of the Party Central Commitee's Secretariat, and the PM have delivered messages to encourage localities and citizens to overcome difficulties and restore stability swiftly.
PM Pham Minh Chinh issued nine directives and continuously instructed ministries, central agencies and local authorities to take proactive and urgent measures to respond to storms. Several working delegations led by the PM and Deputy PMs inspected, supervised, and directed disaster response and recovery efforts on the ground.
With further storm and flood risks imminent, the PM urged ministers, Government agency heads, and leaders of the affected provinces and cities to intensify efforts, fully mobilise resources, and implement decisive, coordinated measures to rapidly fix the impacts of Typhoon Bualoi and subsequent floods./.
