Prime Minister directs urgent response to super typhoon Mangkhut
On September 15, the Prime Minister issued an official dispatch requesting relevant localities, ministries and branches to concentrate all resources to urgently respond to storm No. 6 (super storm Mangkhut) which is rapidly moving towards Vietnam.
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| Satellite image of super typhoon Mangkhut. (Source: AP) |
Telegram No. 1256/CD-TTg of the Prime Minister was sent to the People's Committees of the following provinces and cities: Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Lang Son, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Tuyen Quang, Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Son La, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Hoa Binh, Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hung Yen, Ha Nam, Hai Duong and Hanoi; Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control; National Committee for Incident Response, Natural Disasters and Search and Rescue; Ministries: National Defense, Public Security, Transport, Construction, Health, Natural Resources and Environment, Information and Communications, Agriculture and Rural Development, Industry and Trade, Education and Training, Culture, Sports and Tourism, Foreign Affairs on focusing on urgent response to storm No. 6 and floods.
The dispatch stated that this afternoon (September 15, 2018), storm Mangkhut entered the East Sea as storm number 6 in 2018, the strongest wind near the storm center is level 14-15, gusting to level 17. This is a strong storm, moving quickly, with a wide range of influence. According to the forecast up to now, the storm center is likely to make landfall in the southern part of Guangdong province (China), but from this evening (September 15, 2018), the storm will cause strong winds of level 8-9, then increase to level 10-11, gusting to level 13 in the northern part of the Gulf of Tonkin, waves from 6-7m high, rough seas, coastal areas and mainland of our country still have strong winds, accompanied by heavy rain.
Areas at risk of being affected by storms are densely populated, have industrial parks, large economic zones, many boats, tourism activities, rafts, aquaculture areas, seafood farming areas at sea and along the coast, many large projects and works under construction, posing potential risks and great damage if there are no drastic measures and timely response.
To proactively respond and limit damage to people and property, the Prime Minister requested the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, the National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, relevant ministries, branches and localities in areas at risk of being affected by the storm to continue to direct resolutely, closely monitor developments, promptly deploy response plans according to the "four on-the-spot" motto, focusing on the following tasks:
For sea areas and islands, the authorities need to organize inspections and counts of vessels and vehicles operating at sea, strictly manage the departures (including transport vessels and tourist vessels), especially for vessels operating far from shore to guide them to move out and not enter dangerous areas or call for safe shelter. Depending on the development of the storm and the specific situation in the locality, implement sea bans, including for transport and tourist vessels.
In addition, localities guide the anchoring of boats at shelters, deploy plans to ensure safety for people and vehicles at shelters; organize, guide reinforcement and implement measures to ensure safety, reduce damage to aquaculture cages and rafts.
For coastal, delta and urban areas: Localities review plans for evacuation and relocation of residents, prepare forces and means to deploy plans to ensure the safety of people's lives in dangerous areas, especially in coastal areas, river mouths at risk of deep flooding due to rising sea levels, waves, strong winds, landslides, on rafts, aquaculture watchtowers, in weak houses, areas near high towers that are not safe. Do not let people stay on boats, rafts, aquaculture watchtowers, especially in localities near the eye of the storm when the storm makes landfall.
In addition, localities direct and guide the bracing and reinforcement of houses, headquarters, schools, hospitals, warehouses, public works, especially for high-tower and column works; organize tree pruning in urban areas, limit damage caused by storms; deploy plans to protect production, harvest ripe rice areas, proactively drain water to prevent flooding in urban areas and protect agricultural production; deploy measures to protect works, ports, economic zones, industrial parks, factories, enterprises, warehouses, mines, coastal projects under construction, high-tower and column works, and mineral mining waste dumps.
Implement measures to protect and reinforce dikes, especially for sea dikes that have incidents or are under construction; ensure the safety of electricity and communication systems; prepare forces and materials to respond to and promptly resolve incidents; implement plans to ensure the safety of people and property for tourism activities on islands and coastal areas. Decide to let students stay home from school; control traffic, especially on highways and sea bridges to ensure safety during the storm's landing.
For mountainous and midland areas, localities should review areas at high risk of flash floods, landslides, and deep flooding during heavy rains; be ready to evacuate and relocate residents from dangerous areas to ensure people's safety; safely operate irrigation and hydroelectric reservoirs; deploy measures to ensure the safety of dams and reservoirs, especially those that are weak or full of water; proactively stockpile food, foodstuffs, and essential goods in areas at risk of being isolated; be ready with forces, materials, and means to overcome incidents and ensure smooth traffic on main traffic routes.
The Prime Minister also outlined specific tasks for the relevant authorities:
The Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control coordinates with relevant agencies to closely monitor the developments of storms and floods; regularly update and announce dangerous areas at sea so that ships and means of transport do not enter and proactively exit dangerous areas; promptly direct and urge ministries, branches and localities to deploy response measures; monitor and direct the safe operation of large reservoirs on the Red River system; report to the Prime Minister for direction on handling issues beyond its authority.
The National Committee for Incident, Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security reviewed plans and directed units located in areas at risk of being affected by the storm to arrange forces and vehicles in key areas to be ready to support localities in evacuating people, conducting rescue operations when requested; ensuring security and order in the storm-hit area and traffic safety.
The Ministry of Transport directs measures to ensure safety for ships and means of transport; proactively arranges forces, materials and equipment in key areas at risk of landslides due to floods and rains to be ready to immediately handle incidents when they occur, ensuring traffic on main traffic routes.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development directs the work of ensuring safety, guiding the mooring of boats, reinforcing and implementing protective measures, reducing damage to agricultural and aquatic production; protecting irrigation dams, dykes, especially for vulnerable sea dykes.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade directs to ensure safety for mineral and oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities at sea; safe operation of hydroelectric dams and power systems; and ensuring sources of food, foodstuffs, and essential goods.
The Ministry of Construction directs and guides measures to ensure safety for construction works, high-rise buildings, high-tower buildings, etc.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment closely monitors storm developments, promptly forecasts, and provides information to people and relevant agencies to serve direction and response work.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs closely monitors the situation and proactively contacts countries in the region to help and support Vietnamese fishermen and fishing boats to take shelter from the storm to ensure safety.
The Ministry of Information and Communications directs the implementation of measures to ensure information system security and ensure communication to serve the direction and operation of storm response.
The Ministry of Education and Training directs work to ensure safety for students in storm-hit areas.
Other ministries and branches, according to their state management functions and tasks, proactively coordinate with localities to deploy storm response measures according to the "four on-site" motto, and are ready to support localities when requested.
Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam and other news agencies and newspapers increase broadcasting time, report on storm developments and disseminate storm and flood response skills so that people and organizations can proactively prevent, combat and minimize damage./.
