Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc inspects flood response in Ninh Binh province (Source: VNA)

The Prime Minister asked the province to closely follow weather developments, be on duty around the clock and regularly check the dyke system. He stressed the importance of evacuating people out of high-risk areas to ensure ultimate safety: “We need to closely follow weather developments and strengthen the dyke system, especially at the time when the weather is forecast to be extreme. We need to evacuate people to safer places and if necessary impose forced evacuation to ensure their safety. All forces should be mobilized to be on duty. While coping with torrential rain and flooding, local authorities need to ensure traffic safety and security.”

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung inspected a landslide in Hoa Binh province which killed 18 people in Phu Cuong commune, Tan Lac district.

According to statistics of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Response, 40 people were killed, 22 are missing, and 21 were injured during the recent flooding. The fatalities were reported in Hoa Binh, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, and Yen Bai. 18,000 houses were destroyed, 40,000 ha of crops were submerged, and more than 40,000 animals have been driven away.