Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng delivers his speech at the meeting of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control on Tuesday in Hà Nội. —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Central localities have been told to urgently remedy the consequences of Storm Etau and continue preparing for Storm Vamco.

Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng made the order at a meeting held on Tuesday by the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control in Hà Nội to direct the localities to cope with the two storms.

Dũng said the localities must focus on ensuring safety for local residents.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, Etau already made landfall on central provinces from Bình Định to Ninh Thuận at about 10am on Tuesday, causing torrential rains and strong winds.

The centre said rainfall of 100-250mm was predicted to hit the provinces of Khánh Hòa, Phú Yên, Bình Định and Tây Nguyên between Tuesday and Wednesday while provinces from Quảng Trị to Quảng Ngãi would be blanketed by rainfall of 150-350mm until Thursday.

Storm Etau had weakened into a tropical low-pressure system shortly after it made the landfall on the provinces on Tuesday, the centre said.

Dũng said although Storm Etau was not strong as Storm Molave, it still directly affected the provinces of Phú Yên and Khánh Hòa, which have many fish and shrimp cages. Thus, he asked agencies to ensure safety for people working at the cages.

He also ordered the provinces to quickly check areas at high risks of landslides and flash floods to promptly evacuate people.

To prepare for Storm Vamco, Dũng told the localities and agencies to be ready to cope with complex developments of natural disasters, triggered by the storm, in the coming days.

He said the storm was forecast to enter the East Sea on Thursday and impact the central region on Saturday.

Therefore, he asked agencies to monitor the developments of the storm then inform offshore fishing vessels as well as take measures to ensure safety for local residents in affected localities.

Dũng said Storm Vamco was forecast to be strong, so preparations should begin early to minimise the damage.

In a related move, the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control issued a message last Sunday to order localities to ensure safety for reservoirs during the two storms.— VNS