Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed an official dispatch on August 1, calling for swift recovery efforts in flood-ravaged Dien Bien province and preparedness to respond to landslides and flash floods across northern mountainous and midland regions.
The disaster struck in the early hours of August 1, when torrential rains pounded several northern provinces, including Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh, and Quang Ninh, with several areas recording nearly 300 millimetres of rainfall within just six hours. Flash floods and landslides claimed three lives, left nine others missing, and damaged 10 houses and roads in Tia Dinh and Xa Dung communes in Dien Bien province.
In Son La province, heavy rainfall led to severe flooding, which forced the evacuation of dozens of households.
In the dispatch, PM Chinh extended his condolences to the families of the victims and shared their loss with the affected communities. He ordered the Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee to direct and mobilise necessary forces and vehicles for search and rescue efforts. Priority tasks include locating the missing, providing medical care for the injured, supporting bereaved families, and offering temporary shelters, food, and essential items to those displaced.
The Government leader underscored the need to restore transport infrastructure to ensure the flow of emergency aid and safety protocols for search and rescue workers.
The Ministers of National Defence and Public Security have been directed to coordinate with local forces to assist the search operations and support locals with disaster recovery efforts.
The dispatch was addressed to the Ministers of National Defence, Public Security, Agriculture and Environment, Construction, Industry and Trade, Science and Technology, Health, and Education and Training, as well as to provincial leaders in the mountainous and midland northern regions, including Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho, Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Bac Ninh, Cao Bang, Thai Nguyen, and Thanh Hoa. The Vietnam Television, the Voice of Vietnam, and the Vietnam News Agency were also urged to provide timely and accurate updates on weather conditions and to raise public awareness of disaster preparedness.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha led a government delegation to the affected provinces on August 1 to inspect damage and oversee relief efforts./.
