Prime Minister gives Yen Bai on-site directions on flood, landslide response

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on September 12 gave on-site directions in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai on the settlement of the serious consequences of the downpour, landslides, and flooding entailing recent Typhoon Yagi.
PM Pham Minh Chinh examines the settlement of downpour and flooding consequences in Yen Bai city, Yen Bai province, on September 12. (Photo: NDO)
PM Pham Minh Chinh examines the settlement of downpour and flooding consequences in Yen Bai city, Yen Bai province, on September 12. (Photo: NDO)

The natural phenomena following the super typhoon, which hit Vietnam on September 7, have left 46 people died or missing (mostly due to landslides), 24 others injured, nearly 23,000 houses collapsed, damaged, or inundated, and tens of hectares of crops and aquaculture devastated.

Hundreds of sites along national highways and provincial roads have suffered erosion or flooding. Twenty-five irrigation works, tens of health establishments and schools, together with some power and communication facilities have also been flooded or ruined.

Losses are initially estimated at 916 billion VND (37.3 million USD), local authorities reported.

Facing that fact, Yen Bai has evacuated more than 12,000 households to ensure safety while mobilising more than 30,000 personnel from military, police, militia and other forces to address consequences. Efforts focus on searching for the victims, treating the injured, offering financial aid to the families of dead and injured victims, evacuating residents and assets, and preparing medical workers and medicine to care for people.

In Yen Bai city, PM Chinh examined flood response efforts in Hong Ha ward, visited the Anh Duong kindergarten, and checked a landslide-hit area in Yen Ninh ward.

After that, he had a working session with leaders of Yen Bai province, ministries, and sectors. The event was also connected with other localities of the province via teleconference.

On behalf of Party and State leaders, he offered the deepest condolences to the victimised families, organisations, and localities. He also praised endeavours by local Party committees, administrations, socio-political organisations, people, and forces in responding to and settling natural disaster consequences.

The leader repeated his instructions for flood preparedness, including staying ready to cope with the worst possible circumstances and guaranteeing safety for the Thac Ba hydropower reservoir.

PM Chinh demanded ministries and sectors assist Yen Bai to maximise forces such as military, police, and youth, along with all equipment available to address the aftermaths, soon stabilise people’s life and economic activities, and ensure no one is left hungry, short of clothes or water shortages, or homeless.

He ordered efforts to be invested in searching for the missing; giving medical care to the injured; holding funerals for the dead; ensuring uninterrupted supply of essential services like electricity, water, fuel, and communication, especially in isolated areas and places for evacuees; cleaning up the environment, preventing disease outbreaks, and providing clean water; along with resuming activities of schools and health stations.

The leader also requested the relevant sides continue to step up landslide prevention, move people out of dangerous places, rehabilitate infrastructure facilities, restore agricultural production, give housing support to those losing their homes, and examine affected houses before people return.

It is also important to guarantee security, safety, and social welfare while soon bringing the life and economic activities back to normal, he noted.

The Government leader decided to provide 50 billion VND sourced from the central budget to help Yen Bai province resolve storm and flooding consequences. He also thanked and called on the entire society to join hands in assisting affected people to overcome difficulties and stabilise their life.

The same day, PM Chinh visited and offered sympathies to a family with two members recently killed by a landslide in Minh Tan ward of Yen Bai city.

VNA