PM orders focusing efforts on addressing flood consequences in northern localities

• Quang Nam hands over flood-proof houses to affected families
• Hanoi to install 15 flood monitoring cameras

Dealing with flood consequences in Tam Duong district of Lai Chau (Photo: VNA)

As from June 22 night, the provinces suffered heavy rains and serious landslides, causing losses in human lives and property, especially in Lai Chau and Ha Giang. By late June 24, localities reported five deaths and eight people missing.

The Government leader sent deepest sympathy to families of the victims, and required local authorities to support affected families, and providing safe shelter and food to locals.

Localities were also asked to continue inspect areas with high risk of landslide and flashflood in order to timely issue warning and evacuate locals to safer places.

The National Committee for Disaster Response, Search and Rescue, the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Public Security were assigned to direct forces based in the localities to engage in coping with disaster aftermath.

Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Ministries of Industry and Trade were requested to ensure safety for dykes and reservoirs, while the Ministry of Transport must direct the rapid settlement of landslides to make sure traffic in national routes is smooth. 

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment was asked to regularly update information and developments of floods and disasters to people for preparations.

According to the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Response, Search and Rescue of Lai Chau province, as of 21:00 of June 24, three persons died and eight others went missing during flood in the locality, while property losses mounted to about 60 billion VND.

In Than Uyen, Tan Uyen, Sin Ho and Tam Duong districts, floods drowned over 200 hectares of rice farm, swept away 100 hectares of maize and more than 7 hectares of fish farm, and damaged 20 water and irrigation works. Landslides left over 500,000 cubic metres of soil blocking many roads and isolating about 20 households in Nam Cay village of Xa De Phin communes, Sin Ho district.

Meanwhile in Ha Giang, two people in Quan Ba district died as their house collapsed due to flood, while nearly 400 houses in Ha Giang city were completely submerged in floodwater.

Many transportation routes have been blocked, isolating many localities.

At the same time, Bac Kan province also severely suffered from torrential rains, floods and landslides. Initial reports showed that 7 hectares of rice and maize were sunken in flood water, while about 0.4 hectares of aquatic farm with about 600kg of fish was swept away, along with about 0.1 hectares of maize farm. Total losses have reached about 300 million VND.