Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on October 9 requested enhanced forecasting capacity to ensure a timely, flexible, and effective response to natural disasters, given that many localities are still suffering severe damage caused by Typhoon Matmo and its subsequent flooding, while disasters and weather patterns remain complex in the coming period.
Chairing a meeting of the Government’s standing members on addressing the aftermath of natural disasters, particularly Typhoon Matmo – the 11th storm entering the East Sea this year - and the subsequent flooding, PM Chinh urged ministries and sectors to organise visits, offer encouragement, and provide guidance on disaster recovery efforts, especially in severely affected areas and localities still experiencing flooding and isolation. They should also assist the families of those who lost their lives and ensure proper funeral arrangements; continue searching for the missing; and provide treatment for the injured.
Ministries, sectors, and forces, especially the military and public security forces, were requested to coordinate with local authorities to mobilise personnel and resources, and use all possible means to access isolated areas to deliver food, essential supplies, and medicine to support people in need, ensuring that no one is left hungry or cold.
They must be ready to support localities in reinforcing dikes and ensuring the safety of dikes and reservoirs; deploy additional personnel to grassroots levels to help residents clean up homes, roads, and the environment after natural disasters; repair collapsed or damaged houses; and ensure temporary shelter for the people.
The PM also asked them to promptly release reserves and distribute aid to severely affected people and areas; handle insurance matters, and implement policies on interest rate and loan support to help people resume production. They should also review and compile data on damaged educational and medical establishments and immediately use contingency funds to address the damage, ensuring that no one is left without access to healthcare and no student is prevented from attending school.
At the same time, local authorities and relevant agencies are to focus on restoring essential infrastructure such as electricity, water, telecommunications, transport, reservoirs, and other critical facilities; and provide maximum support to organisations and individuals severely affected in production and business, especially in agriculture, to urgently resume and stabilise operations, contributing to the achievement of the 2025 economic growth target.
In the long term, the Government leader directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and the Ministry of Construction to guide localities in building socio-economic development, infrastructure, and residential area planning under abnormal conditions; and review equipment, facilities, and reserve supplies to ensure readiness and on-the-spot response to emergencies in accordance with the "four-on-the-spot" principle.
Recalling the touching images of armed forces and people supporting those affected by storms and floods and helping with recovery efforts, PM Chinh called for timely recognition and commendation of such contributions. At the same time, he emphasised the need to strictly handle individuals or organisations that failed to fulfill their duties, responded inadequately, showed indifference, or sought personal gain from the suffering of fellow citizens.
Speaking at the event, Permanent member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat Tran Cam Tu stressed that the urgent task is to restore the operations of medical facilities and schools to ensure that people receive medical care and students can return to school.
He also emphasised the need to continue calling on organisations and individuals to mobilise manpower and resources to join hands in supporting people and localities in overcoming the consequences of natural disasters.
It is crucial to promptly allocate financial aid directly to the affected people and localities to help them recover and overcome difficulties caused by storms and floods, Tu added.
Since the beginning of 2025, Vietnam has experienced 20 types of natural disasters across various regions nationwide. These disasters have occurred rapidly and intensely, with many unusual factors, exceeding historical levels, and affecting a wide area.
As of October 9, natural disasters nationwide had left 238 dead or missing, and 367 injured; 258,232 houses had been damaged or had their roofs blown off; 555,869 hectares of rice, crops, and other plants had been flooded and damaged; 15,177 livestock and 1,454,997 poultry had been killed or been swept away; and 40,846 hectares of aquaculture had been damaged. The total estimated damage exceeds 33.5 trillion VND (1.27 billion USD)./.
