PM agrees on additional funding to support storm-hit locals to repair houses

The PM stressed the need to provide such additional support at a meeting with officials from the central region on November 1 in Tam Ky city, Quang Nam province, discussing measures to overcome the storm’s consequences and operate search and rescue operations.

Statistics at the meeting showed that Typhoon Molave, the ninth storm to hit Vietnam this year and among the strongest in 20 years, caused serious damage to both lives and property in the central provinces, with initial damage in Quang Nam alone having been estimated at about VND3 trillion (US$129 million).

Quang Nam leaders requested the central government provide more support, especially funding to repair the houses of local people. The province petitioned the Ministry of Transport and Military Region 5 to provide emergency assistance to restore the route to Phuoc Loc commune in Phuoc Son district, where 3,000 people are still isolated due to a landslide.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the support rice has been supplied to localities under the direction of the Prime Minister. The ministry proposed a level of financial support for people whose houses have collapsed or been damaged due to floods and storms, with a maximum support of VND40 million for each household with a collapsed house and VND10 million for a house whose roof has been blown off.

Agreeing with the proposal, Construction Minister Pham Hong Ha said that the programme of supporting poor households to build flood and storm-proof houses in the central region (Programme 48) has so far supported about 19,244 households. Currently, no house under the programme has collapsed or been badly damaged in the recent floods. The minister proposed to continue promoting this programme with the support level applied being VND12 million for each household.

As the transport system suffered great damage due to the storms and floods, the Minister of Transport said it would pay VND500 billion for traffic restoration in flood-affected localities.

Regarding measures for the coming time, PM Phuc emphasised the need to ensure smooth traffic for the timely and continuous delivery of the supports from the Government and localities to the local people.

The Ministries of Defence and Public Security have been asked to direct relevant units to deploy forces and vehicles, including helicopters and ships, to support the transportation of food and relief to isolated areas.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade was also asked to direct the restoration of the electrical system and industrial production, while ensuring a sufficient supply of goods, especially food and materials for home repair. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall direct the preparation of plant varieties and domestic animals to aid in the recovery of farming.

Active evacuation urged as new storm looms

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung speaks during a meeting discussing response plans against the fast approaching Storm Goni, November 2, 2020. (Photo: NDO/Thao Le)

Meanwhile, in coping with the approaching Storm Goni, Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong co-chaired an urgent meeting this morning (Nov. 2) to discuss measures to respond to the coming storm, forecast to hit central Vietnam in the next few days.

Speaking at the meeting, Dung emphasised that Goni, the tenth storm to affect Vietnam this year, is a complicated typhoon that would bring heavy rains up to 400mm in the Central and South Central regions when making landfall.

The deputy PM asked for close monitoring on the storm's developments to promptly develop response options, with a focus on guiding ships out of dangerous areas at sea and bringing them to safe shelter, while evacuating people from watchtowers and coastal aquaculture areas, followed by closely monitoring the storm when it hits the mainland to actively evacuate local people from dangerous areas, particularly those prone to landslides.

Dung also suggested central provinces and cities, in addition to actively responding to typhoon No. 10, should continue to overcome the consequences of the last storm and the associated recent floods. In addition, it is vital to ensure the safety of hydropower projects, irrigation works and reservoirs.

Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong said that Typhoon Goni was a super typhoon on the east side of the Philippines, but that it was downgraded upon entering the East Sea (South China Sea) yesterday evening. However, as it is a complex storm that is hard to predict, he stressed the need to closely follow the storm's progress to make continuous forecasts, especially on the level of rain.