According to a report made by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Head of the Central Steering Committee for Hurricane and Flood Prevention (CSCHFP) Cao Đức Phát, since early October, the middle central provinces from Quảng Bình to Ninh Thuận have suffered several consecutive heavy rains and floods.

In the provinces from Thừa Thiên-Huế to Phú Yên, severe inundation occurred for days, causing great property and human damages.

Up to November 15, there were 155 killed, 12 missing, 137 injured; more than 57,900 households evacuated, nearly 5,000 houses collapsed and swept away; 18,833 ha of rice and 37,473 ha of crops submerged; 35,415 tons of food wet. The total material damage reached VND 4,434 billion.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyễn Công Thành informed that, from now to November 22, due to the strengthened eastern wind and a strong cold spell, coastal provinces in the middle and southern parts of Central Việt Nam may be hit by two consecutive spells of heavy rains.

Tonight and tomorrow (November 17), double floods and deluge may occur in the rivers from Quảng Bình to Ninh Thuận and in the Central Highlands.

To cope with the situations, at the meeting, PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng required the CFCHFP, the National Committee for Search and Rescue, relevant ministries, sectors and local authorities in central provinces to focus on dealing with flood aftermaths and tighten the preventive work against new floods.

The Government chief urged the rescue forces to evacuate people from the areas which can be inundated in the coming floods. He entrusted the Ministry of Construct to plan the residential quarter for local people in the areas frequently hit by floods.

The PM agreed to grant emergency aid to the central provinces. He also dispatched Deputy PM Hoàng Trung Hải and leaders of some ministries to immediately rush to Central Việt Nam within the day in order to direct the flood control./.

By Phương Uyên