Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has requested concerted efforts to overcome consequences of floods and landslides, and urged organisations to quickly assist local people in Dien Bien, Son La and Nghe An provinces.
The PM's request comes as the Government pledges 250 billion VND (9.5 million USD) to help people affected return to normal lives.
Over the past few days, heavy rain has caused serious damage to people, property and infrastructure, greatly affecting production and people's lives in the three provinces.
To improve natural disaster consequences and quickly stabilise the people's situation, the PM told ministries and localities to take action as quickly as possible with the most urgent and drastic spirit.
He said they need to grasp the people’s needs for food, clean water and other necessities to organise relief as soon as possible and assign forces, means and equipment to assist, not to let the people go hungry, thirsty, cold or homeless.
Electricity and telecommunications systems must be fixed urgently to ensure complete, continuous and timely information.
The ministries of national defence and public security should direct the transport of food, necessities, drinking water and medicine to provide people in isolated areas; prepare a plan to support by air if the areas cannot accessible by road.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment should instruct agricultural production restoration, especially domestic water, disinfectants, environmental sanitation and seedlings, pay attention to irrigation works, continue to monitor, forecast, warn and provide complete, accurate and timely information on weather conditions to serve the direction and response to natural disasters.
PM Chinh asked the Ministry of Construction to guide localities to overcome traffic disruptions, ensuring smooth traffic, especially on highways 12 and 7.
The Ministry of Science and Technology, the Military Telecommunications Group (Viettel), and the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) must provide guidance in troubleshooting telecommunications signal loss to keep information provided fully and continuously to communes and villages.
The Vietnam Electricity (EVN) Group is responsible for restoring the power system and ensuring safety for hydroelectric dams.
The Ministry of Health must help localities in disinfecting chemicals, medicines, medical examination and treatment as well as disease prevention and control after floods.
PM Chinh also requested the Ministry of Education and Training to support provinces in cleaning classrooms, repairing damaged schools and preparing adequate supplies for the new school year.
The Ministry of Finance should work with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and relevant agencies to synthesise proposals from localities severely damaged by natural disasters and report to the PM.
Deputy PM Tran Hong Ha will directly monitor the work. Deputy PM Le Thanh Long will visit and encourage the work in Son La province, whereas Deputy PM Ho Duc Phoc will inspect the work in Nghe An province.
Deputy PM Phoc has announced support of 250 billion VND (9.5 million USD) from the central budget for Dien Bien, Son La and Nghe An provinces to initially stabilise the people's lives after floods.
Local people's committees are responsible for managing and using the fund, ensuring compliance with the law and other relevant legal documents, for the right purposes, publicly and transparently.
In recent days, heavy rains have caused flash floods, landslides and serious damage to people and property in the three provinces.
According to the Son La People's Committee, in July and early August, the province suffered five consecutive large-scale heavy rain, three of which caused serious consequences.
Five houses were swept away and many roads in Phung Banh commune were eroded and blocked. National Highway 12 was submerged by 1.2-1.6m. Some suspension bridges in Phung Banh, Chieng So and Muong Lam were swept away. Fourteen villages were isolated.
The province announced a natural disaster emergency to respond to heavy rains, flash floods and landslides in 14 key communes.
In Dien Bien province, heavy rain killed 10 people and injured seven others. Property damage is estimated at 300 billion VND (11.4 million USD). As many as 319 houses collapsed, concentrated in Na Son, Phinh Giang and Xa Dung communes.
Many national highways, inter-commune and inter-village roads were eroded causing traffic jams and isolating many areas. Many irrigation works, schools and office buildings were also damaged and flooded.
The power grid in Tia Dinh, Xa Dung, Na Son and Muong Luan communes was lost. Telecommunications networks were interrupted in many places.
Serious damage also occurred in Nghe An province. It is reported that four people died, four others were injured, nearly 7,500 houses collapsed, 40 schools and thousands of hectares of crops were destroyed.
Infrastructure systems such as roads, schools, medical stations and offices were severely damaged.
The total initial damage value is estimated at 3.5 trillion VND (133.5 million USD)./.
