Cleanup after floodwater recedes at SOS Children's Village Quy Nhơn in Gia Lai Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Thái

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Sunday requested competent agencies to support and complete house repairs for people before November 30, 2025; and develop a project to build houses for people who lost their homes before January 31, 2026 so that they will have houses to celebrate the Lunar New Year (Tết).

He made the request while chairing an urgent online meeting from South Africa, where he was attending the G20 Summit. The meeting was connected from South Africa with the Government Headquarters and the provinces of Khánh Hòa, Gia Lai, Đắk Lắk, Lâm Đồng and Tây Ninh, and the Civil Defence Command of Military Region 5.

The PM ordered localities and relevant agencies to ensure no isolation or disruption in aid delivery to residents in flood-hit areas, as the death toll from southern and central regions’ flooding rose to 90.

He called for verifying the number of dead or injured, arranging funerals, ensuring relevant policies and support for families of the deceased and missing, and providing medical treatment for the injured.

Specific tasks were assigned to each locality, with the deputy prime ministers responsible for directing urgent measures to mitigate the disaster’s consequences.

The Prime Minister ordered immediate financial support of VNĐ500 billion for Đắk Lắk Province, VNĐ300 billion for Lâm Đồng Province, VNĐ150 billion for Gia Lai Province and VNĐ150 billion for Khánh Hòa Province to help residents rebuild homes and restore public assets.

Regarding rice supplies, he directed allocating 2,000 tonnes to Đắk Lắk, 1,000 tonnes to Gia Lai and 1,000 tonnes to Lâm Đồng.

PM Chính requested the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Public Security and the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union to assist people in repairing homes and cleaning the environment.

Authorities were instructed to review households whose houses have collapsed, fallen down, or been swept away by floods, and arrange temporary accommodation for people. For those located in dangerous landslide zones, new resettlement sites or projects must be identified. 

He demanded that new homes for families who lost their houses be completed before January 31, 2026 ahead of the Lunar New Year, and that repairs and reinforcement of damaged homes be completed by November 30.

House cleanup after severe floods in Khánh Hòa Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

The PM asked localities to work with ministries to review and determine which schools need repair or reconstruction.

A full report on schools swept away, collapsed or requiring rebuilding must be submitted before November 30, with a plan prepared as early as possible.

He also requested concrete proposals regarding commune health stations and hospitals.

The Prime Minister stressed that provincial leaders must be present on the ground at this time to assess the situation, direct response efforts, treat the injured and manage funeral arrangements and related policy support.

He assigned the Ministry of Construction to review the transportation network and urgently address landslide sites and to propose solutions for emergency projects with simplified procedures for contractor selection.

He also demanded accelerated restoration of electricity for production, business and daily life.

PM Chính reminded leaders of ministries, sectors and localities not to take part in unnecessary activities and to concentrate fully on supporting localities in overcoming the consequences of the disaster and addressing issues under emergency procedures.

He called for a credit package to support residents and businesses in restoring production and business activities, along with policies on debt rescheduling, postponement or freezing for people and enterprises heavily affected by the floods.

He said during the meeting with the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) that he asked WHO to support Việt Nam in addressing the aftermath of the flooding.

Upon agreement by the WHO, PM Chính assigned the Ministry of Health, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to promptly send a formal request to the WHO seeking assistance in urgent and necessary areas.

According to local authorities’ reports, no areas have so far remained isolated or inaccessible due to landslides. However, sections of Routes 20A and 20C still reported landslides, particularly at the severely damaged Mimosa Pass, which has cut off National Highway 20.

At the online meeting, Đắk Lắk Province People’s Committee Chairman Tạ Anh Tuấn said they are working with the armed forces, especially the military and police, to focus on relief efforts. They are delivering food, essential supplies, medicines and medical treatment.

All affected households have now been reached, and many communal kitchens have been set up. Around 21,000 personnel are involved in relief operations, including nearly 8,000 soldiers, more than 6,000 police officers and 7,000 mobilised from the province, he said.

Inspecting flood-hit areas, Trần Phong, chairman of Khánh Hòa Province People’s Committee, said that in most flooded areas, returning residents found their homes nearly empty. Bedding, clothing and vehicles were all swept away.

Preliminary estimates put damage to the province’s public assets at about VNĐ5.1 trillion, though this figure is incomplete and expected to rise.

Most losses involve the road system, irrigation works, schools and hospitals. The province expects that local students can return to school on Monday, he said.

Phạm Anh Tuấn, chairman of Gia Lai Province People’s Committee, said water has receded and no homes remain submerged.

Given the increasingly complex risks in tidal flood zones and landslide-prone areas, local authorities recommend long-term policies to support resettlement planning so that residents in high-risk zones can be relocated, ensuring safety and stability when future storms and floods occur, he said. — VNS