Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on September 27 issued an additional dispatch to ministries, sectors and localities, requesting them to apply urgent measures to respond to Noru, an extremely strong storm that is likely to hit the central region soon.
Noting that the storm is moving fast towards the sea and mainland of Vietnam and developing complicatedly, the leader asked localities to take the protection of human lives as the top priority, while working to minimise losses in property.
He ordered the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, the National Committee for Natural Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, as well as ministries, sectors and localities to continue to review their plans to respond to the storm and apply specific measures following the development of the storm.
Localities that are likely to be affected by the storm - Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Gia Lai and Kon Tum - must mobilise the engagement of the whole political system in the work, while sending leaders to localities to directly guide responding activities, he requested.
The Government leader also underlined the need to evacuate people from high-risk areas, ensure the supply of food and drinks for people and prevent diseases.
Noru is forecast to cause torrential rains with rainfall of 300-400mm and even 500mm, leading to widespread floods from Quang Bịnh to Binh Dinh provinces. (Photo: VNA)
He also gave specific directions to ministries, sectors and localities to ensure safety of vessels, crops and traffic, and to stand ready to conduct search and rescue activities.
Also on September 27, at a meeting of the Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Minister Tran Hong Ha asked the administration to give timely forecasts on the development of the storm, enabling localities and people to actively apply responding measures.
Minister Ha requested that from now until the evening of September 27, the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting and hydro-meteorological stations of regions and provinces and cities to increase the frequency of hydro-meteorological forecasts and update information in a full and accurate manner.
According to Director of National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Mai Van Khiem, Noru is forecast to cause torrential rains with rainfall of 300-400mm and even 500mm, leading to widespread floods from Quang Binh to Binh Dinh provinces.
Bracing themselves for the storm, regional localities have promptly applied measures to minimise losses in property and human lives.
Chairman of Binh Dinh province People's Committee Pham Anh Tuan has asked all localities to move people in vessels and aquatic farms to the mainland before 15pm of September 27.
Meanwhile, Ninh Thuan has guided 1,839 vessels to dock in safe shelters. Quang Ngai province is evacuating 22,099 people in high-risk areas to safer places.
On September 27, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) announced that it will temporary close five airports in central localities from September 28. Meanwhile, airports in Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue, Binh Dinh and Gia Lai have been closed from the noon of September 27 to the morning of September 28.
