Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính encourages forces involved in flood recovery efforts in Yên Bái City. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Thursday visited Yên Bái Province, one of the areas hardest hit by recent floods and landslides, to assess the damage and oversee recovery efforts.

Following his visit, he announced an immediate allocation of VNĐ50 billion from the central government to support disaster recovery in the province.

Yên Bái, home to the Thác Bà hydropower reservoir—one of Việt Nam's largest artificial lakes—has been severely impacted by the extreme weather, especially in the districts of Lục Yên and Yên Bình.

During his visit, the Prime Minister met with residents and emergency responders in Hồng Hà ward, before inspecting a landslide site in Nguyễn Thái Học ward, where two people are still missing.

At a briefing held at the Yên Bái Provincial Party Committee headquarters, local leaders and ministry representatives provided the Prime Minister with a stark overview of the destruction caused by typhoon Yagi’s residual effects.

From September 5-9, the province experienced torrential rainfall, causing dangerously high river levels. The Thao River peaked at 35.73 metres, 3.73 metres above emergency warning level 3, surpassing the historic flood level set in 1968. Meanwhile, the Chảy River at Thác Bà reached 29.05 metres, well above the critical threshold.

The deluge triggered widespread flooding in the Red River region, affecting districts such as Văn Yên, Trấn Yên and Yên Bái City. Every ward and commune in Yên Bái City was submerged, with eight completely flooded. The province's infrastructure also took a severe hit, with 12 communes in Trấn Yên cut off due to rising waters and several areas in Văn Yên deeply submerged.

Mass mobilisation for rescue efforts

Over 100,000 people, including military personnel, police, local officials and volunteers, have been mobilised to tackle the aftermath of the disaster. Thousands of vehicles, boats and other equipment from Military Region 2 and various provincial agencies have been deployed to support the relief and recovery mission.

Temporary shelters have been set up in schools, cultural centres and government buildings to house nearly 13,000 displaced households. Almost 60,000 people whose homes were flooded have been evacuated, including 11,000 residents downstream of the Thác Bà Reservoir, who were moved in just six hours amid concerns over a potential dam failure.

The province has swiftly provided financial assistance to affected families, offering VNĐ25 million to those who lost loved ones, VNĐ5 million to the severely injured, and VNĐ40 million to households whose homes were destroyed. Key transport links are gradually reopening as roads, power, water and telecommunications infrastructure are restored.

In addition to the central government’s funding, Yên Bái Province has allocated over VNĐ46 billion from its own budget for emergency relief efforts. The province is also receiving essential supplies from hundreds of humanitarian groups, with nearly VNĐ20 billion in cash donations already distributed.

Looking ahead, provincial authorities are focused on monitoring weather patterns, issuing public safety warnings and ensuring that families in high-risk areas are relocated to safer locations. Essential services, such as hospitals and schools, are prioritised for restoration, with the goal of reopening by September 15.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính expressed deep condolences to the families affected by the floods and praised the swift, coordinated response of Yên Bái’s authorities, military and volunteers. He emphasised that the safety and well-being of the population must remain the top priority. The Prime Minister urged ministries and local authorities to concentrate on rescue operations, care for the injured and the timely delivery of supplies to isolated areas.

The Prime Minister also called for a thorough assessment and documentation of property damage to formulate recovery plans. He stressed the urgent need to repair schools and hospitals so children can return to classes and patients can receive necessary care. Immediate action is required to restore utilities, industrial zones, and business operations impacted by the disaster.

For transport, the Ministry of Transport is responsible for restoring major national highways. Local authorities at the provincial, district and commune levels will oversee the repair of roads within their respective areas.

The Prime Minister also praised the innovative use of drones to deliver essential goods and commended the solidarity of Yên Bái’s residents, who have supported one another throughout the disaster. In addition to emergency food supplies, communities have been preparing and distributing traditional foods to those in need.- VNS