Quảng Bình military delivered food to people in the flood-hit regions. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Rescue forces have been instructed to focus on providing emergency aid to people in the flood-hit central region, especially in the provinces of Quảng Bình and Hà Tĩnh.

Other localities have been ordered to prepare for Typhoon Saudel, which is forecast to make landfall in central provinces on Sunday.

Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng, head of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, outlined the plans at a meeting held yesterday in Hà Nội.

Dũng said local administrations in flood-hit provinces should determine the specific needs for emergency aid in each commune.

Aid must be distributed by local administrations to ensure they reached the right people on time, he said.

In another move, the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned yesterday that Typhoon Saudel had entered the East Sea on Wednesday morning. It is the eight typhoon to hit the East Sea this year.

The centre said that at 1pm, the typhoon was about 560km east of the Hoàng Sa (Paracel) Archipelago with wind speeds of up to 75-90km per hour. 

The typhoon was moving west-northwest at 10km per hour and was forecast to gain in strength.

Mai Văn Khiêm, director of the centre, said the typhoon was becoming stronger as it neared Hoàng Sa.

Dũng instructed the Border Guard Command to work with the Directorate of Fisheries and relevant localities to monitor the typhoon and inform offshore vessels of any updates so they could find safe anchorage.

Emergency rescue forces were on standby, he added.

Additionally, relevant agencies needed to plan to evacuate areas at high risk of flash floods and landslides, he said.

Rains have stopped in Hà Tĩnh City but the inundation continues to persist on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

Khiêm said the provinces of Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị and Thừa Thiên-Huế had been put on high alert, while warning of the risks at small hydropower and irrigation reservoirs in the provinces.

Dũng said the localities had been told to check reservoirs to ensure safety for local residents.

Data from the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control showed that 52,598 offshore vessels had been informed about the developments of the typhoon as of 6am yesterday.

The committee’s report said that torrential rains and floods between October 6 and 20 had killed 111 people and left 22 others missing by 7am yesterday in the central region.

Complicated developments

The flooding is becoming particularly complicated in the central province of Quảng Bình.

Reports from the province showed that more than 100,000 houses were still under water.

The districts of Quảng Ninh and Lệ Thủy have suffered the most from the floods, with more than 50,000 houses inundated.

Floodwaters have fallen slowly by less than 30 cm between Tuesday night and yesterday morning, and it is likely the situation will last for several days.

Lê Vĩnh Thế, Lệ Thủy District’s Party Committee Secretary, said rescue teams could only reach some areas by boat, causing many difficulties.

The district had mobilised all available rescue forces, he said.

The General Department of State Reserve on Wednesday afternoon announced it would distribute emergency equipment to flood-hit localities in central Việt Nam. Twenty high speed boats, nearly 300 canvas tents, thousands of life vests and eight power generators will be sent to Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên-Thuế, Quảng Nam and Hà Tĩnh provinces before the end of October, the department said. — VNS