Urgent telegram from the Prime Minister on urgent response to super typhoon about to enter the East Sea

URGENT RESPONSE TO SUPER STORM ABOUT TO ENTER THE EAST SEA

On December 16, there was Official Dispatch No. 1737/CD-TTg of the Prime Minister (signed by Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh) on emergency response tosuper typhoonabout to enter the East Sea.

The dispatch stated that on the afternoon of December 16, the super typhoon, internationally named RAI, directly affected the eastern coast of the Philippines; the strongest wind near the storm's center was level 16, gusting to level 17.

According to the forecast of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, on the evening of December 17, 2021, the storm will enter the East Sea with the strongest wind near the storm center reaching level 13-14, gusting to level 17, causing waves 6-8 m high in the North, Central and South of the East Sea; on December 19 and 20, the sea area off the Central provinces may have strong winds of level 11-12, gusting to level 14-15; directly threatening the safety of ships and activities at sea and along the coast.

This is a very strong storm, moving quickly, occurring at the end of the rainy and stormy season, with very complicated developments. In order to proactively respond to the storm's developments, ensure the safety of ships and activities at sea, and the safety of people's lives, the Prime Minister requested the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, ministries, branches and localities to closely monitor the storm's developments, resolutely direct and promptly deploy storm response work according to assigned functions and tasks, focusing on the following tasks:

Firstly, People's Committees of coastal provinces and cities: Coordinate with border guards and relevant agencies to direct the review and immediately grasp all means and vessels still operating at sea (including fishing boats, transport ships and other means) and activities at sea;

Organize to closely monitor the storm's developments, direct information, guide vehicles and boats to move to safe shelters, and resolutely not allow vessels and vehicles to operate in areas at risk of being affected by the storm;

Implement measures to ensure safety for activities at sea, safety of life and prevention of COVID-19 for people at anchorages and shelters.

Based on the developments, risks of storm impacts and local realities, direct and deploy necessary measures to ensure safety for people and property on islands and on aquaculture cages.

Review and prepare plans to proactively respond to storms affecting the locality; proactively arrange forces, means, and materials to be ready to respond and handle all situations, not to be passive or surprised, especially to ensure the safety of residents in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, protect dikes, dams, and protect production.

Second, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment directs and organizes close monitoring, forecasting, and timely provision of information on storm developments so that the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, ministries, branches, agencies, localities, and people can proactively direct and deploy appropriate response measures to storm developments.

Third, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs monitors and proactively contacts countries and territories to facilitate Vietnamese vessels to take shelter from storms when requested.

Fourth, the Ministry of Health directs the work of ensuring safety in preventing and fighting the COVID-19 epidemic, especially in areas where residents are expected to be evacuated in case of an emergency.

Fifth, the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Industry and Trade, Transport, National Defense and other relevant ministries and branches, according to their state management functions and assigned tasks, shall proactively direct, inspect and urge the implementation of storm response measures, ensuring safety in the assigned monitoring areas, especially ensuring safety for ships and activities at sea and along the coast.

Sixth, the National Committee for Natural Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Ministry of Public Security directed the review of plans and were ready to deploy forces and means to support localities in responding to storms when requested.

On Saturday, Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, news agencies and newspapers promptly reported on the storm's developments and response efforts so that people would know and proactively prevent and avoid it.

Eighth, the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control organizes 24/7 duty, closely monitors the storm's developments, promptly directs, urges, and inspects sectors and localities to deploy specific response plans appropriate to the storm's developments, especially ensuring safety for ships and activities at sea and along the coast, and safety of people's lives; promptly reports and proposes to the Prime Minister to direct issues beyond its authority.

The dispatch stated that storm RAI will maintain its very strong intensity and move quickly; on the night of December 17, 2021, it will enter the East Sea and may change direction when it approaches the shore. Coastal mainland areas and islands will have strong winds of level 9 to level 11.

To proactively respond to storms, limit damage to people and property, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control - National Committee for Incident, Disaster Response and Search and Rescue requests the Steering Committees for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue of ministries, branches and provinces and cities to deploy a number of specific tasks as follows:

First, the Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control of provinces and cities:

For sea routes:Closely monitor warning bulletins, forecasts and developments of storms; notify, count and guide vehicles and vessels (including fishing boats, transport ships, construction ships) to move to avoid or return to safe shelters; create conditions for fishing boats and fishermen from other localities to take shelter;

Inspect and guide the mooring of boats at the anchorage area; be ready to deploy work to ensure safety of people and property on islands and aquaculture cages at sea and in coastal areas.

For mainland and islands:Review and be ready to deploy response plans for storms, floods, and landslides in accordance with specific local conditions, especially plans to evacuate people to ensure safety and prevent the COVID-19 epidemic; prepare forces, means, equipment, and necessities according to the "four on-site" principle to respond to strong storms, floods in low-lying areas, flash floods, and landslides in mountainous areas, especially in areas that have experienced flooding; transportation from the mainland to the islands and plans to provide necessities to the islands.

Be ready to deploy production protection measures, dike protection plans, and protection of key and vulnerable areas; organize appropriate operations, ensure safety of dams, especially vulnerable dams, small hydroelectric reservoirs, and works under construction or repair; arrange forces, materials, machinery, and equipment to be ready to respond and handle situations.

Be ready to deploy shock force activities at the grassroots level; review unsafe housing; control plans, guide traffic flow, especially through culverts, spillways, deep flooded areas, fast-flowing water; arrange forces, materials, and means to overcome incidents, ensuring smooth traffic on main traffic routes.

Direct radio, television and grassroots media to increase information about natural disasters and provide guidance on response skills for people, especially in villages and hamlets.

Provinces in the Mekong Delta region:Grasp and have plans and solutions to ensure safety for people in vulnerable areas; management plans and data on boats anchored to avoid storms in estuaries and creeks; plans to ensure safety for vulnerable sea dykes to be ready to respond in case the storm changes direction.

Second, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment closely monitors, forecasts, warns, and promptly provides information on storm developments, rain forecasts, and risks of floods, flash floods, and landslides so that relevant agencies and people can proactively deploy response measures.

Third, the Ministry of Industry and Trade directs the work of ensuring the safety of offshore drilling rigs; directing the work of ensuring the safety of hydroelectric dams, especially small hydroelectric plants; mineral exploration and exploitation activities, and the power grid system.

Fourth, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development directs the work of ensuring the safety of dykes, irrigation dams, especially key works under construction and repair; protecting agricultural production, especially for the newly planted winter-spring rice crop.

Fifth, the Ministry of Transport directs information to domestic and foreign transport vessels, including vessels anchored at ports; warehouse owners to know the storm's developments to proactively respond.

Sixth, the Ministry of Health directs the work of ensuring safety in preventing and fighting the COVID-19 epidemic, especially in areas expected to be evacuated and quarantined; directs the work of ensuring safety and creating favorable conditions for disaster prevention and control forces to perform their tasks; and prepares a stock of drugs and water purification chemicals to support localities when requested.

Seventh, the National Committee for Natural Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Ministry of Public Security directed the review of response plans and the readiness to deploy forces and means to support evacuation, relocation, and search and rescue when requested. The Ministry of National Defense directed the border guards to count, call for, and provide guidance to ensure the safety of ships and boats.

Eighth, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs proactively sends diplomatic notes to countries and territories to facilitate Vietnamese ships to take shelter and provide support when requested.

Ninth, Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam and other news agencies and newspapers increase the time and report promptly on storm developments and flood risks, and response direction work so that people know and proactively prevent and avoid them.

Tenth, the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control shall closely monitor the developments of storms and the risks of floods, landslides, and flash floods; identify natural disaster risks, develop response scenarios to direct specific measures, respond promptly and effectively, limit damage, and first focus on ensuring the safety of people's lives; and be ready to direct work at the scene.