Hundreds of households in the low-lying areas of eastern ắk Lắk Province have been evacuated to safer regions within November 19 due to serious floodings caused by heavy rains and hydropower's release. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Hồ Quốc Dũng on Wednesday signed an urgent telegram issued by Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính directing three central provinces – Gia Lai, Đắk Lắk and Khánh Hòa – along with the ministers of eight ministries to immediately implement emergency measures in response to flooding and severe water levels on the Ba River (Đắk Lắk) and the Kôn River (Gia Lai).

The Prime Minister’s urgent directive stresses that flooding in these three localities is seeing complicated and dangerous developments. According to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, floodwaters on the Kôn River continue rising and remain above alarm level 3 while water levels on the Ba River are also rising and exceeding alarm level 3, matching the historic record witnessed in 1993.

The PM has ordered authorities in the three provinces and the eight ministries (Public Security, Defence, Agriculture and Environment, Industry and Trade, Health, Education, Finance and Construction) to urgently roll out emergency flood-response measures to ensure the safety of residents and minimise property damage.

Local authorities are required to immediately mobilise police, military and other forces along with all available vehicles and equipment to reach severely flooded and isolated areas and evacuate people to safe locations. They must ensure the supply of food, drinking water and essential goods for evacuated residents, preventing shortages of food, clean water or warm shelter

Local authorities are working through deep floodwaters to relocate households in low-lying areas of Đắk Lắk within November 19 before the night comes. — VNA/VNS Photo

Ministries and localities must ensure the safe operation of irrigation and hydropower reservoirs to maximise flood-cutting capacity downstream and avoid any risk to dams or related infrastructure. They must also strengthen remote traffic control to redirect vehicles and strictly prohibit entry into deeply flooded or landslide-prone areas.

The Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Finance are instructed to promptly provide equipment and resources requested by local authorities for post-disaster recovery.

The directive also requires the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and localities to closely monitor developments of the exceptional flooding and emergency conditions and provide timely updates to authorities and residents for the highest level of preparedness.

Earlier today at 9am on Wednesday, the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting issued a level-4 disaster risk warning for eastern Đắk Lắk Province – a particularly severe alert applied to areas facing a combination of dangerous hazards including major floods, flash floods and landslides that pose significant risks to human life, property and infrastructure. — VNS

Military and police officers have been working around the clock in evacuating residents from the flood-hit areas in Diên Khánh Commune, Khánh Hoà Province. — VNA/VNS Photo