HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has issued an urgent message ordering the northern localities to urgently take remedial action in the wake of the recent torrential rains that killed at least 13 people and left another missing.

The message was issued after prolonged heavy rains, triggering both flashfloods and landslides, battered the northern localities since early this month and led to initial damage of VNĐ28.9 billion (US$1.2 million).

Phúc tasked People’s Committees of the northern localities, especially Thái Nguyên, Hà Giang, Lai Châu, Điện Biên and Hòa Bình – the localities that suffered the most from the torrential rains -- to provide essential necessities to families whose homes were damaged by landslides and flashfloods.

Search and rescue operations to find the missing person should be conducted quickly and continuously, he added.

The committees were told to review all areas with a high risk of landslides and flashfloods and then evacuate people from these areas, he said.

He also asked the committees to send traffic police to the flooded areas to instruct people to travel safely.

Health sectors in the localities should be ready to prevent diseases once the rains ended, he added.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, torrential rains would hit the north region until Sunday (July 16).

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development was ordered to ensure the safety of reservoirs and dykes during the rains, he said.

In a related movement, Agricultural Minister-cum-head of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control Nguyễn Xuân Cường on Tuesday also asked the Việt Nam Television and the Voice of Việt Nam to increase their broadcasts of weather forecasts and provide instructions for people to deal with heavy rains and floods.

This was aimed at minimisng damage to both humans and property when torrential rains and floods occurred, he added.

Cường said instructions could be found the centre’s website -- www.phongchongthientai.vn.

According to the latest forecast issused by the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting on Wesnesday morning, water levels of the rivers of Thao, Chảy and Lô were rapidly rising. Floods were predicted to occur in lowland areas near Thao River in Phú Thọ Province during the next 24 hours.

Mountainous areas in Lào Cai, Yên Bái, Lai Châu and Điện Biên, as well as Sơn La, Hà Giang, Tuyên Quang and Cao Bằng, along with Thái Nguyên and Bắc Kạn, were put on high alert for landslides and flashfloods, the centre said.

Heavy rains and floods are expected to continue showing complicated developments because this is the start of the rainy season in the region. — VNS