Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs the first meeting of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue in 2025 on July 24. Photo: Lai Hoa/VOV

Prime Minister Chinh, who also serves as Head of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue, chaired the committee’s first meeting of 2025 in Hanoi on Thursday. The hybrid meeting was linked  to 34 provinces and cities as well as 3,321 communes, wards and special zones nationwide.

This year's natural disaster is predicted to be very complicated in the coming months of August, September and October, the Prime Minister suggested a fundamental change in the mindset of natural disaster prevention. He underlined a resolute shift from passive response to proactive prevention, a breakthrough in forecasting, response and consequence-overcoming capacity, especially investing in necessary infrastructure.

PM Chinh urged for local plans to ensure that people have enough food and drinking water for at least the first 24-48 hours in case of isolation. Referring to the flood situation in Nghe An province, he requested that all means be used to access isolated areas and to provide food and drinking water to locals.