Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính encourages workers at the Nhơn Hội Economic Zone in Quy Nhơn Đông Ward, Gia Lai Province. VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

GIA LAI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Thursday underscored the urgent need to stabilise livelihoods and revive production and business activities following Typhoon Kalmaegi, the 13th storm to hit Việt Nam this year.

He instructed ministries, sectors and Gia Lai Province’s authorities to swiftly provide financial assistance, interest rate support and essential supplies of crop and livestock breeds, particularly shrimp farming stock, to affected residents and enterprises.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính visits production facilities damaged in the Nhơn Hội Economic Zone. VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

The Prime Minister made the remarks during his inspection and direction of post-storm recovery efforts in Gia Lai Province following the impact of Typhoon Kalmaegi.

The storm left two people dead and 12 injured and caused damage to more than 50,000 houses of varying degrees across the province. Over 200 fishing vessels were either destroyed or severely damaged, while hundreds of hectares of aquaculture farms suffered losses. Many production facilities and infrastructure works, including roads, irrigation systems, schools, healthcare centres, cultural venues, telecommunications and power networks, were also affected.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính inspects production facilities damaged by Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Nhơn Hội Economic Zone. VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

In Quy Nhơn Đông Ward, Typhoon Kalmaegi damaged 1,255 homes, destroyed 789 hectares of forest and more than 36 hectares of aquaculture farms, and left 44 fishing boats broken or unusable. Several factories and schools in the Nhơn Hội Economic Zone also lost their roofs and suffered major structural damage.

During visits to Fago Feed Co. Ltd, Tân Đại Nam General Co. Ltd and HD Nhơn Hội JSC, all located in Quy Nhơn Đông Ward, the Prime Minister expressed sympathy for the losses and difficulties caused by the disaster and encouraged enterprises and workers to resume production as soon as possible.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính inspects production facilities damaged by Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Nhơn Hội Economic Zone. VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

Expressing concern that recovery efforts remained slow, PM Chính noted that the Government had issued a series of urgent directives to accelerate post-storm response across the central provinces, including Gia Lai.

He said the State Bank of Việt Nam and the Ministry of Finance had been instructed to prepare credit packages and tax relief measures, including reduced fees and deferred debt payments for affected enterprises.

Businesses were asked to report damages and submit proposals to competent authorities for consideration of appropriate support policies.

Many factory workshops in the Nhơn Hội Economic Zone were damaged by the storm. VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

The Prime Minister also directed local Party committees and authorities to mobilise all available forces, including youth volunteers, militia units and especially troops from Military Region 5, to assist residents and enterprises in cleaning up the environment, repairing workshops, resetting machinery and restoring production to maintain jobs and meet customer orders, thereby preventing supply chain disruptions.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính visits and encourages households affected by tidal flooding triggered by Typhoon Kalmaegi in Đề Gi Commune. VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

In Đề Gi Commune, Typhoon Kalmaegi collapsed or unroofed more than 700 houses, inundated nearly 500 households due to high tides, sank six fishing vessels and destroyed hundreds of hectares of crops and aquaculture farms.

While visiting residents there, PM Chính urged people to swiftly overcome the storm’s consequences and called on local authorities, military and police forces to help families repair homes and stabilise their lives.

He commended local residents for their unity and strict compliance with evacuation orders, which prevented loss of life, and asked local governments to support households that lost their homes, including by providing temporary shelter and assisting in house reconstruction.

The Prime Minister also ordered the permanent relocation of residents from hazardous areas to ensure long-term safety and said the Government is considering debt rescheduling and loan assistance measures to help affected people resume production and livelihoods. — VNS