Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visits victims of storms and floods in Quang Nam province. (Photo: VGP)

He made the request at a meeting with officials of Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh provinces, and Da Nang city on November 1 in Tam Ky city of Quang Nam on measures to overcome storm consequences and search and rescue operations.

Reporting at the event, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and standing deputy head of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control Nguyen Xuan Cuong said that typhoon Molave, the ninth storm hitting Vietnam this year and among the strongest ones in 20 years, caused serious damage to lives and property in the country, especially central provinces.

Currently, competent forces are urgently looking for missing people and focusing on the rescue work at landslide-hit places, he said, adding that priority is now given to ensuring people have enough food and restoring essential facilities such as electricity and water works, schools and houses.

The Government leader emphasised the need to urgently surmount the consequences of floods and typhoon Molave by all means, since there are still many missing people yet to be found, and risks for diseases and environmental problems are looming. He also urged long-term solutions to be taken into account to effectively respond to storms and floods, and ensure the safety of people's lives and property.

“The most important thing is to take practical measures to deal with the situation in the context of huge losses in life and property,” he said.

According to Vietnam News Agency, as many people are becoming homeless, many places are isolated, and children cannot go to school, the PM required ministries, sectors and localities to take stronger and more timely measures to overcome the consequences of typhoon Molave.

Stressing huge damage to lives and property caused by natural disasters, floods and storms in October in the country, especially in the central region, PM Phuc expressed his belief that people in the region will overcome all difficulties as consequences of storms and floods to stabilise their lives.

Regarding specific measures, he emphasised the urgent need to ensure travel on arterial traffic routes, particularly those for distributing reliefs, while taking all measures to search for and rescue people still missing due to storms and floods and actively treat those injured.

He also said that Quang Nam province must direct its General Hospital to provide free treatment for victims of the recent landslides.

The province was asked to provide shelters for people in need, together with necessities such as food and medicine; and ensure that students can get back to their study early.

The localities, which receive reliefs, need to be open and transparent,” the Prime Minister noted.

The PM tasked military and police forces with repairing and building houses and public facilities, which, he said, must be resistant to storms and floods.

He called for great efforts in response to the 10th storm, Goni, which is forecast to make landfall in Vietnam in the next few days.

Ministries and agencies were assigned to help the affected localities deal with consequences of the 9th storm. However, he said, local authorities and residents need to play a more active role in response efforts.

The Government leader asked the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Public Security and Military Zone 5 to deploy forces and equipment, including helicopters, to join search and rescue operations.

The Ministry of Finance should consider allocating capital to the localities hard hit by the 9th storm, especially Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh provinces, and submit the allocation plan to the PM for approval, he said./.

Compiled by BTA