Authorities in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai will evacuate nearly 150 households residing around areas prone to floods and landslides before July 30, a local official said.

The province is working to finalise a plan for preventing calamities and implementing rescue measures, said Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and Deputy Head of the provincial Steering Committee for Flood Prevention and Control Nguyen Anh Tuan

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Duong said that district and commune level authorities need to map out solutions to limit flood impacts.

Currently, relevant agencies in the locality are able to mobilise 100 trucks, 30 coaches and 20 ambulances. Meanwhile, local businesses have prepared 80 tonnes of un-husked rice and 600 tonnes of husked rice and reserved 300 cubic metres of gasoline for emergency situations.

Lao Cai is one of the provinces hardest hit by natural disasters during the rainy season. In 2008, a village in the province was swept away by landslides.

This year, Vietnam is expected to face 7-8 major storms, causing heavy rains and flash floods in mountainous areas.-VNA