Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha: Absolutely do not be subjective or negligent in responding to storm No. 5

Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Hoang Hai Minh presided at the bridge point of the City Military Command. Photo: A.Phong

Chairing the meeting at the City Military Command bridge was Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Hoang Hai Minh.

Proactive in planning, decisive in action

After listening to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment update on the developments of storm No. 5 as well as listening to the response situation reported by the directly affected localities, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasized: Storm No. 5 is forecasted to be strong, moving very fast, with very strong winds and high rainfall. Therefore, localities need to mobilize maximum forces to participate in direct response before, during and after the storm, absolutely must not be subjective or negligent.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested localities to deploy shock troops and review all key areas; at the same time, continue to actively inform and propagate to all people about the developments of storms and floods in order to proactively respond. Depending on the actual situation of the locality, proactively decide to organize the evacuation of people; absolutely ensure the safety of people's lives; and carry out smooth communication work.

Proactively deploy forces, materials, and vehicles in key areas; be ready to deploy response, rescue, and relief work when situations arise; stockpile food, provisions, and necessities in residential areas that are prone to isolation due to floods and landslides; be ready to deploy drainage plans, ensuring the safety of dykes and reservoirs.

Organize to assign guards, set up buoys, barriers, and signals at locations where roads are deeply flooded, flooded, have landslides, or are blocked... Resolutely do not allow people and vehicles to pass through dangerous locations, and have plans to ensure safe and smooth traffic.

Localities directly affected by the storm have advised people to stay off the streets from 11am to 6pm today - the time when the storm is at its strongest. Media agencies must continuously update and transmit images and visual information to help people fully understand the level of danger.

Ready for any scenario

After the online meeting, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Hoang Hai Minh directed relevant units and localities to focus on responding to storm No. 5, closely following the instructions of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha.

At the same time, request owners of irrigation and hydroelectric dams to deploy plans to respond to natural disasters and emergencies, ensure safety of works and downstream areas of reservoirs in the area; operate according to the correct procedures to bring the water level back to flood level according to regulations.

The City Civil Defense Command has a plan to build an operation center, effectively connecting with localities, ensuring a smooth communication system. The agricultural sector has directed that immediately after the storm passes, it will take advantage of favorable weather to harvest summer-autumn rice before the next storms. It will propagate to people not to be subjective, to avoid damage to people and property after the storm passes.

According to a quick report from the Department of Irrigation and Climate Change - Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hue City, at 7:00 a.m. on August 25, the total rainfall measured at common measuring stations in the city was from 10mm - 50mm.

According to the forecast from today, August 25 to August 27, the city will continue to have heavy rain, to very heavy rain, with rainfall ranging from 100-200mm, in some places over 300mm. Wind measured at the coastal measuring station: Thuan An station, the strongest wind is 5m/s, reaching level 3, gusting to level 5.

There have been no damages in coastal areas. To ensure the safety of people's lives and property, on the evening of August 24, the city evacuated 158 households/452 people to a safe place.

Most of the water levels in the reservoirs are maintained at the same level as before the rains, the remaining flood prevention capacity of the reservoirs is very large. Photo: N. Khanh

At most reservoirs, water levels are maintained at the same level as before the rain, the remaining flood prevention capacity of the reservoirs is very large. Specifically, the current water levels of Huong Dien hydropower reservoir (on the Bo River basin) and Binh Dien (on the Huong River basin) are capable of completely cutting off rain of less than 300mm.

The Ta Trach irrigation reservoir (on the Huong River basin) alone is capable of completely cutting off rainfall below 500mm. This is a particularly important national reservoir that plays an essential role in flood control for the Huong River system, helping to significantly reduce flood levels for the city center and downstream areas. The Department of Agriculture and Environment has prepared reservoir operation scenarios for forecasted rainfall levels of 150-500mm to proactively operate inter-reservoirs when heavy rain occurs.

The Department of Irrigation and Climate Change informed that the current capacity of irrigation and hydroelectric reservoirs in the city is about 60-70%. The City People's Committee has developed a plan to proactively and safely operate the works and downstream areas according to scenarios of heavy rain.