Floods exceed historical levels, many people died and went missing
According to a quick report from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the heavy rains that have lasted for many days have caused the provinces of Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Khanh Hoa and Lam Dong to be deeply flooded over a wide area.
Floods on many main rivers exceeded historical levels, causing isolation in more than 100 communes and wards. This is considered the most serious natural disaster in many years.
Initial damage was recorded as extremely severe: 39 people died and went missing; more than 52,000 houses were flooded; 146 houses were damaged; about 13,000 hectares of rice and crops were submerged in water; more than 30,000 livestock and poultry were swept away.
Nearly 1.1 million customers lost power, of which more than 553,000 households had not been restored. Traffic in many areas was paralyzed with more than 30 landslides, deeply flooded on national highways.
In that context, on the evening of November 20, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung chaired an urgent meeting in Khanh Hoa, connecting online with Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Gia Lai provinces, and representatives of central ministries and branches to direct rescue work, provide support to people in flooded areas.
Expressing condolences for the losses that the people are suffering, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that this is the time to focus all our efforts on the task of saving people, ensuring safety and security and leaving no one behind.
Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung assessed that many people are taking shelter on their roofs. If delayed, it will be very dangerous. At all costs tonight, we must enter to save the people.
At the same time, he requested the military, police and local authorities to immediately deploy approach plans to the isolated and deeply flooded areas.
For provinces that suffered heavy damage such as Dak Lak and Khanh Hoa, the Deputy Prime Minister requested the mobilization of all means and forces, to bring people to safety as soon as they could reach them.
In parallel with the rescue work, the forces must ensure necessities for the people.
Mobilizing all forces, keeping information smooth and providing emergency support to localities
At the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security to continue to maintain forces present in flooded areas, mobilizing maximum means to support localities.
Regarding the loss of communication in many areas, the Deputy Prime Minister requested relevant ministries and branches to urgently overcome the situation to ensure smooth information in direction and operation.
The Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Public Security are assigned to continue to arrange forces to regulate traffic at landslides. The Ministry of Construction must quickly arrive in Lam Dong province to coordinate in handling the main traffic routes that are seriously affected.
Regarding local recommendations and proposals on supporting the recovery of natural disaster consequences, the Deputy Prime Minister requested ministries and branches to urgently consider and resolve them according to their authority.
The Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security continue to maintain rescue forces until the localities stabilize the situation. The Ministry of Construction coordinates to handle the risk of landslides at each statistical point.
The provinces must immediately report the need for rice support so that the Government can promptly distribute it to the people...
