PM requires extra efforts to deal with storm Dianmu

Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has requested the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting to provide the most correct and timely forecasts to help localities and people effectively carry out preventive measures against storm Dianmu, which is likely to hit the northern region on August 19.

When visiting the centre on August 18, PM Phuc asked the centre to expand international cooperation and collect different forecast resources from other countries like the US, Japan and China to improve the accuracy of its service.

All meetings at both central and local levels should be halted from August 19 to focus on dealing with the storm to protect people’s lives and assets, he said, which will require preparations for the evacuation of residents and the shoring up of breached dykes in coastal localities.

The Government leader asked ministries, agencies and localities to carry out measures to counter flooding and landslides to protect people’s lives – the most important target in disaster prevention and control.

They were also requested to avoid subjectivity and have plans on food, medicine and environmental sanitation when the storm is over.

On August 18, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue visited the northern coastal city of Hai Phong, while Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung toured northern coastal Nam Dinh and Thai Binh provinces to inspect preparations to cope with storm Dianmu in these localities.

The localities were requested to call upon all ships operating at sea to return to the mainland or seek safe shelters.

More efforts should be taken to evacuate residents from areas outside sea dykes and prevent weak dyke sections from breaking up.

By 5pm, there were more than 2,500 ships from Hai Phong city and 300 ships from Nam Dinh province operating at sea.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, torrential rains began in the entire northern and northern central regions from the afternoon of August 18.

There is a high risk of flooding, flash floods and landslides in most northern mountainous provinces like Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang and Cao Bang, and the mountainous areas of central Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces.

The storm is becoming stronger and is predicted to hit the mainland at noon of August 19.-VNA