Central provinces increase efforts against heavy rains, severe flooding

As the weather situation in the central provinces is progressing unexpectedly, the Prime Minister has issued an urgent telegram, requiring concerned ministries and local authorities in the central region to take urgent measures and prepare all forces and means to cope with emergency situations.

The PM also asked the Ministry of Transport to preside over and coordinate with Quang Tri province and other relevant agencies to urgently carry out search and rescue missions to help stranded crew members on the Vietship 01 that sank on Cua Viet estuarine, Gio Linh district, Quang Tri province.

According to the national weather service, provinces from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai will continue suffering heavy rains of over 300mm today (Oct 10). Flood warnings have been raised on the Bo, Thach Han, Kien Giang and Vu Gia rivers.

From Oct 11 to 13, due to a strong tropical depression combined with an ongoing cold spell, heavy rains will intensify in the central and southern central provinces, with provinces from Thua Thien Hue to Quang Nam suffering regular rainfall from 500-700mm, even up to over 1,000mm in some places.

Large-scale flooding is likely to last longer in the coming days in low-lying and urban areas in provinces from Quang Binh to Thua Thien Hue, while floods on local rivers would expand to Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Gia Lai and Kon Tum provinces. A high risk of landslides is present in the mountainous areas of Ha Tinh, Phu Yen, Gia Lai and Kon Tum.

On October 9, the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control sent a telegram to coastal provinces and cities from Quang Ninh to Binh Thuan, asking them to take urgent measures to respond to the reported low pressure area that could strengthen in the next few days. Accordingly, the concerned localities, ministries and agencies need to notify boat owners escaping the dangerous areas, as well as guiding ships and boats to anchor at ports and developing plans to ensure the safety of local people and their property.

In Hue city, over 30 roads are still flooded, some places being inundated with over 1m of water. Hue city police have relocated dozens of households with more than 130 people from the flooded areas to safer locations.

In Quang Binh, the province’s Border Guard Command coordinated with local people to save a fisherman who was swept away by floodwaters at My Canh boat station, Dong Hoi city.

Against the background of this complicated situation, on the evening of October 9, the Department of Education and Training of Da Nang city issued a written notice allowing local students to leave school from Oct 10 to 12.

The bad weather conditions in the region forced both national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and Pacific Airlines to adjust flights to and from the central provinces of Quang Binh and Thua Thien Hue on October 9.

Accordingly, the two airlines cancelled 11 flights, including VN7400, VN7401, VN1400, VN1403 between Ho Chi Minh City and Quang Binh; VN1591, VN1590 between Hanoi and Quang Binh; VN1971 from Hue to Da Lat; and VN7372, VN7373, VN7376, VN7377 between Ho Chi Minh City and Hue.

Passengers who plan to travel to and from airports in the central region are advised to regularly update themselves on the weather conditions and latest information from the two carriers.