Many houses in Con Cuông Commune of Nghệ An Province were flooded due to heavy rain. VNA/VNS Photo

NGHỆ AN – Deputy Prime Minister Mai Văn Chính has urged Nghệ An Province, and particularly the province's Con Cuông Commune, to remain vigilant, closely monitor weather and flood developments and prepare timely response plans after the area was left reeling from floods and landslides as a result of Typhoon Wipha earlier this week.

Heavy rainfall had caused flooding in 24 villages in Nghệ An Province, 10 of which were completely cut off – including around 9,000 households – and five villages were partially isolated. Three people have died and four have been injured thus far.

The province also reported damage to 1,605ha of rice and 1,292ha of vegetable crops; 990.9ha of annual crops were also affected and 2,015m of irrigation canals suffered damage from landslides and erosion.

In addition, 202 livestock animals and 2,707 poultry were killed or swept away in the floods. Damage to aquaculture included 156.7ha of small ponds and lakes, and 92 fish cages were destroyed.

To ensure public safety, Con Cuông Commune authorities, along with military, police and the entire political system relocated approximately 2,000 people from 650 households, along with valuables and livestock, to safe locations.

On the evening of July 23, Deputy PM Chính visited the commune to conduct inspections and direct the flood response and recovery efforts.

During the field inspection, he stressed strict adherence to the directives of the Party Secretariat: no complacency, immediate action and ensuring the safety of both lives and State and people's property.

Response efforts must be proactive, frequent and grounded in real local conditions, he said.

The Deputy PM emphasised the need to review and monitor vulnerable areas to avoid being caught off guard. Even if it is not raining at the moment, people must not be allowed near rivers or dangerous spots, he noted.

Chính also praised the proactive and timely efforts of both Con Cuông Commune and Nghệ An Province authorities in their quick response and recovery operations.

Con Cuông Commune’s Party Secretary Nguyễn Hoài An said that immediately after the heavy rainfall, the commune’s Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue promptly activated emergency response plans to minimise damage and ensure residents' safety.

The commune evacuated all residents to safe zones, installed warning signs and set up temporary checkpoints to prevent people from crossing flooded spillways with fast-flowing water, ensuring absolute safety.

Due to the complex developments of the floods, the commune’s Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue Committee has maintained continuous monitoring and readiness to deploy disaster response plans based on the 'four on-the-spot' principle of ensuring adequate local resources, forces, materials and command.

Nguyễn Đức Trung, secretary of the Nghệ An Provincial Party Committee, also reported to the Deputy PM that the province had strictly followed the directives of the Party Secretariat, the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment regarding flood response and recovery.

Nghệ An had issued several urgent notices to proactively respond to Wipha, known as Storm No 3 in Việt Nam, and flooding caused by its circulation. Provincial leaders conducted inspections in key vulnerable areas and rapidly mobilised all available forces and resources to evacuate people and property, adhering to the principle of protecting lives and assets as a top priority.

Local authorities and functional forces were instructed to urgently find ways to reach and assist households and villages that are still isolated.

Following the inspection, Chính visited and gave encouragement and gifts to three households in Liên Tân village whose homes were completely flooded. VNS