Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà directing the relief efforts in Điện Biên. VNA/VNS Photos Xuân Tư

ĐIỆN BIÊN — Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà stressed that in times of crisis, what matters most is the sense of responsibility, adaptability and swift action from the authorities, as he visited Háng Pu Xi Village in Xa Dung Commune, Điện Biên Province, on the morning of August 2, where flash floods caused significant loss of life and property.

All levels of government, especially local administrations and on-site forces, must treat this as a frontline mission to protect the people at all costs, the Deputy PM said.

Speaking to and comforting affected residents, the Deputy PM called on people to persevere through hardship and rebuild their lives as soon as possible.

He instructed emergency teams and local authorities to urgently implement search and rescue measures, particularly in isolated areas, and to reach remote villages where residents were still lacking food, drinking water and access to communication.

Given disruptions to Viettel and Vinaphone networks in many locations, the Deputy PM stressed the urgent need to restore telecommunications and electricity. He requested immediate deployment of satellite communication devices, network switching between carriers, and mobile generators to ensure temporary power for command and rescue operations and the essential needs of residents.

Local forces were ordered to maintain a close presence in each village — especially remote areas and those at risk of further landslides — to monitor the situation, report promptly, and carry out evacuations where necessary. Authorities must also compile initial damage assessments, especially regarding missing persons, injuries, collapsed houses, and damaged transport, power and telecommunications systems, for submission to the Government for emergency support.

Fire and Rescue Police officers participated in the search for missing victims due to flash floods and landslides in Háng Pu Xi Village, Xa Dung Commune (photo taken at 6.57am on August 2).

The Deputy PM emphasised that local manpower must be maximised, particularly military, police, and local militia forces, in coordination with community organisations and residents, to ensure the safety of everyone involved in rescue operations.

He requested that Điện Biên Province report specifically on the areas still unreachable and list all villages without communication. Essential equipment and specialised vehicles, including satellite communications, should be mobilised to re-establish contact as soon as possible.

“We must act swiftly and decisively. People must not be left hungry, isolated, or without information for long periods. In all situations, the safety of rescue teams and flood-affected residents must be guaranteed,” he said.

Heavy rainfall from the night of July 31 through August 1 triggered widespread flash floods in communes including Na Son, Mường Luân, Xa Dung and Tìa Dình in Điện Biên and surrounding areas.

As of now, the disaster has claimed eight lives and left three missing. Several injured people have been taken to medical facilities for treatment. In Háng Pu Xi, the central village of Xa Dung Commune, seventeen homes were affected, including fourteen that were completely swept away.

The scene of flash floods and landslides at Háng Pu Xi Village, Xa Dung Commune.

Currently, access is still cut off to thirty villages due to severe damage to roads.

Trần Quốc Cường, secretary of the Điện Biên Province Party Committee, confirmed that provincial authorities were determined to reach all affected villages, ensuring no residents were left without food, essential supplies or timely medical care. Of the forty-two villages in Tìa Dình Commune, officials had made contact with forty, while two remained inaccessible. Evacuations from hazardous areas were being conducted to ensure temporary shelter in safer locations.

He also noted three major obstacles to the ongoing rescue effort: severe road damage and landslides had paralysed access routes; power outages and weak mobile signals had severed communication, with some areas completely without signal; and many villages were isolated by terrain with no alternate routes, complicating the delivery of rescue personnel and supplies.

Excavators were mobilised to overcome the aftermath of flash floods and landslides (photo taken at 6.10pm on August 1).

To address this, the province was coordinating with Military Zone 2 and the Ministry of National Defence to deploy helicopters to deliver food, medicine and clean water to cut-off villages. According to plan, helicopters would land at the central stadium on the morning of August 2, with local teams then distributing relief supplies to all forty-two villages in Tìa Dình.

Authorities expect to draft a concrete plan within ten days for resettling displaced families in stable, long-term accommodation. In the meantime, the top priority remains restoring communication and ensuring timely rescue in still-isolated areas. As of now, nearly 700 personnel have been mobilised, including police, military, militia and members of mass organisations. — VNS