Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung, Head of the National Steering Committees for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue (Photo: Van Diep/ VNA)

At a conference to review natural disaster response and rescue work in Hanoi on Friday, Mr. Dung said since 2017 abnormal weather and natural disasters have worsen, causing severe losses. Deputy Prime Minister Dung praised the major role of local authorities and armed forces in the rescue effort, but urged for more vigilance.

On Thursday and Friday, heavy downpours destroyed 54 houses in Yen Bai province and submerged a large residential area. In Son La province, 12 of 24 affected households were evacuated, nearly 200 hectares of rice were inundated or swept away.

 Local Steering Committees for Natural Disaster Prevention and Resue visited flood affected families and helped them stablize their life. Mr. Le Trong Khang, Vice Chairman of Mu Cang Chai district’s People’s Committee, in Yen Bai province, said: “We’re on duty around the clock and order the Committee’s members to closely follow developments of landslides and flash floods. We work with households in high risk areas to evacuate to safer places”.

A flash flood in Thanh Hoa province on Friday swept away three stilt houses, killing two, leaving two others missing and injuring three people. Hoang Thi Hong, Chairwoman of Lang Chanh district’s People’s Committee, said the police and rescue workers have been mobilized to search for the missing people and help affected families back to their normal life.

In Quang Ninh province, after the flood water receded, local authorities together with the police and soldiers helped local people to clear up the mess and stablize their lives.