The leaders of Nghe An province directed the implementation of flood response plans.

The Nghe An branch of the meeting was chaired by the following comrades: Nguyen Van De - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; and Phung Thanh Vinh - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The tropical depression has the potential to strengthen into typhoon number 4.

According to forecasts from the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, at 10:00 AM on September 18th, the center of the tropical depression was located at approximately 16.9 degrees North latitude and 113.1 degrees East longitude, about 180 km from Vietnam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands. The strongest winds near the center of the storm were at level 7, gusting to level 9, moving westward at a speed of about 15 km/h.
Vessels operating in the aforementioned hazardous areas are susceptible to thunderstorms, tornadoes, strong winds, and large waves. Coastal areas of provinces from Quang Binh to Quang Nam need to be wary of high tides combined with large waves causing erosion of dikes and seawalls, and flooding in low-lying areas.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep emphasized: The wind speed of typhoon No. 4 is predicted to be not too strong, but the worrying aspect is the heavy rainfall that will cause widespread flooding. In reality, damage often occurs after a typhoon, and the lesson from typhoon No. 3 is that we absolutely must not be complacent.

"We must resolutely direct vessels operating in dangerous areas to safe anchorages; there should be no complacency. Attention must be paid to the erosion of coastal embankments in construction areas, and precautions must be taken against flooding in low-lying coastal areas to ensure timely evacuation and relocation of residents," the Deputy Minister instructed.

Local authorities and relevant sectors must ensure effective implementation of the "four on-the-spot" principles, have plans ready to ensure communication, and urgently harvest rice and aquaculture crops. Water levels in reservoirs should be reviewed to develop appropriate operating plans. Heavy rainfall may also cause flooding in urban areas.

Proactively organize the relocation and evacuation of residents.

In Nghe An province, from September 17th to the morning of September 18th, there was heavy rain, with some areas experiencing very heavy rainfall. The total rainfall from September 17th to 7:00 AM on September 18th ranged from 50mm to 100mm, with some areas receiving even higher amounts, such as Vinh City (182mm) and Cua Hoi (128mm).

To date, no ships or boats are located in the danger zone; all vessels operating at sea have received notification of the location and direction of the tropical depression. The province is directing increased inspections of ship and boat moorings at anchorages to ensure safety when the storm makes landfall.

Reservoir systemwaterprofit,waterElectricity is readily available with contingency plans in place. Local authorities are focusing on harvesting rice crops that are ready for harvest, following the principle of "better to harvest while the rice is still green than to let it ripen too much." To date, the province has harvested over 59,360 hectares out of 76,481 hectares of summer-autumn rice, and planted over 6,500 hectares of winter crops. The total area for aquaculture is 20,478 hectares, with 4,013 cages, rafts, and platforms. The Provincial People's Committee has directed that absolutely no one should stay on cages or rafts during storms and floods. Of concern, Nghe An has recently experienced localized heavy rainfall in some mountainous districts, posing a high risk of landslides if the rain continues.

Immediately after the online meeting, Nghe An province also held a meeting to discuss response plans. Mr. Nguyen Van De, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, directed local authorities and relevant agencies to inspect and review residential areas along rivers, streams, dikes, lakes, dams, and low-lying areas at high risk of flooding, flash floods, and landslides, in order to proactively organize the relocation and evacuation of people when situations arise; to clear waterways and promptly address any structural failures from the outset.
In particular, people must be strictly prohibited from fishing or collecting firewood in rivers and streams during floods, or from moving into flooded areas or downstream of lakes and dams; plans must be in place to ensure the safety of vulnerable groups in flooded areas. At the same time, measures to drain water, protect production, and prevent and control flooding in urban areas and low-lying regions must be readily implemented.

"Focus on inspecting and reviewing to ensure the safety of reservoirs and downstream areas, especially small hydropower reservoirs and critical irrigation reservoirs; deploy permanent forces to operate and regulate water levels and be ready to handle any potential situations. Have forces and equipment ready for rescue operations when required," Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Van De requested.