Nghe An issues urgent dispatch to respond to storm No. 13

To proactively respond to storms and floods, limit damage to people's lives and property, the Chairman of the People's Committee - Head of the Provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue (PCTT - TKCN) requests the Chairman of the People's Committee - Head of the PCTT - TKCN Steering Committee of districts, cities and towns; the Provincial Military Command; the Provincial Border Guard Command, the Provincial Police; Directors of departments, heads of provincial-level branches and sectors; Chairmen of the Board of Members, Chairmen of Companies, Directors of Irrigation Companies; Hydropower in the province and related units to strictly implement Official Dispatch No. 1597/CD-TTg dated November 12, 2020 of the Prime Minister on focusing on responding to storm No. 13 in 2020.

Location and path of storm No. 13. Photo: National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting

For sea areas and islands:Continue to check, call and guide ships still operating at sea to leave dangerous areas and return to shelters, ensuring safety (including tourist ships, transport ships and transit ships). Organize safe anchoring of ships; proactively bring small boats ashore to limit damage at shelters.

Implement measures to ensure safety for people, aquaculture, seafood and activities at sea. Review plans, resolutely evacuate people on rafts, watchtowers, aquaculture, seafood and on boats before the storm makes landfall to ensure safety for people.

For on land:Direct and deploy measures to protect houses, headquarters, schools, warehouses, production, business and service establishments, high towers, trees, etc. to limit damage caused by storms.
Check and deploy patrol and guard plans to ensure the safety of dikes and dams according to alarm levels and irrigation works, dikes and dams under construction. Prepare forces, vehicles and materials to handle the first hour of incidents at works according to the "4 on-site" motto.
Check the safety and operation of works in irrigation systems, proactively drain buffer water to prevent flooding, and deploy plans to protect agricultural production.
Check and review plans, be ready to evacuate residents in low-lying areas and river mouths.

The North Central Hydrometeorological Station continues to monitor and regularly update the storm's developments; promptly inform the Provincial People's Committee, the Provincial Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control and localities and units to direct and deploy storm response.

Authorities take people to safety during the flood caused by storm No. 9 in Nghi Loc district. Photo courtesy of Vo Dong

Provincial Radio and Television Station, Nghe An Newspaper, Ben Thuy Coastal Information Station and other media increase broadcasting time, reporting on storm developments and heavy rains so that authorities at all levels and people can proactively take precautions.

Rescue agencies (Provincial Military Command, Nghe An Provincial Border Guard Command, etc.) are ready with forces and means to proactively rescue when requested.

Departments, branches and sectors, according to their state management functions and assigned tasks, proactively coordinate with localities to deploy storm response measures and be ready to support localities when requested.

Organize a 24/7 on-duty team to monitor the storm's progress; proactively direct responses to possible bad situations. Regularly report to the Provincial People's Committee (through the Standing Office of the Provincial Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control) for timely handling.

Storm No. 13 is moving rapidly towards our country's sea and mainland. This is a strong storm, with the strongest wind near the storm center at level 12, gusting to level 15.
It is forecasted that in the next 24 hours, the storm will move westward, traveling 15-20 km per hour. At 4:00 p.m. on November 13, the storm center will be at about 15.3 degrees North latitude; 113.8 degrees East longitude, about 230 km southeast of Hoang Sa archipelago. The strongest wind near the storm center is level 12, gusting to level 15.