Storm No. 5 is getting stronger, 12 provinces and cities are required to urgently reinforce dikes and reservoirs.

DNO - On August 23, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment issued Document No. 5929/BNNMT-DD to the People's Committees of the following provinces/cities: Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Hue, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Gia Lai on the implementation of work to ensure the safety of the dyke system and irrigation works to respond to storm No. 5 and floods.

The Tac Giang sluice and boat lock (Duy Tien ward, Ninh Binh province) have been upgraded, ensuring the ability to operate the sluice under the dike, keeping the Red River dike safe during the storm and flood season. Photo: Nguyen Chinh/VNA

Accordingly, on the morning of August 23, the tropical depression in the eastern sea of ​​the North East Sea has strengthened into a storm - storm number 5, currently at level 8, gusting to level 10 and moving quickly (about 25 km/h) in the West Northwest direction.

On the morning of August 24, when moving to the sea northwest of Hoang Sa special zone, the storm will be at level 10-11, gusting to level 14; on the morning of August 25, the storm will likely be at level 11-12, gusting to level 15, on the sea from Thanh Hoa to Hue and moving inland in the Central region; at the same time, due to the storm's influence, the area from Thanh Hoa to Hue is likely to experience heavy rain and floods; posing a risk of directly affecting the safety of dykes and irrigation works.

To ensure the safety of the dike system and irrigation works, proactively respond to storm No. 5 and post-storm floods, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment requests the People's Committees of the above provinces and cities to direct relevant agencies and units to urgently and strictly implement the Prime Minister's Official Dispatch No. 141/CD-TTg dated August 22, 2025 on proactively responding to tropical depressions that are likely to strengthen into storms.

Provinces and cities shall inspect, review and implement in practice dike protection plans, protect key areas of weak dikes, locations where incidents have occurred but have not been handled or repaired, and unfinished dike works to ensure safety, especially for dike lines facing the sea in storm-hit areas (in which it is necessary to urgently complete reinforcement of locations at risk of insecurity before the storm makes landfall); strengthen inspection of sea dikes and river dikes, strictly carry out patrolling and guarding to protect dikes during the rainy and flood season according to regulations in Circular No. 01/2009/TT-BNN dated January 6, 2009 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) to promptly detect and handle incidents and situations that may occur from the first hour.

Provinces and cities prepare human resources, materials, vehicles, and equipment to protect the dykes; at the same time, check the actual preparation work and proactively respond to incidents and situations that may occur according to the "4 on-site" motto, ensuring safety for the dykes; notify owners of vehicles, works, and people and deploy plans to ensure safety for people, property, infrastructure works, etc. for activities in coastal areas and on river banks. Be ready to evacuate households in dangerous areas, especially coastal areas, outside river banks (areas without protective dykes), etc.

Provinces and cities urgently identify a specific list of key irrigation works that are at risk of incidents when there is heavy rain, pay attention to small reservoirs managed by communes; update plans to respond to heavy rain, ensure safety of works in accordance with flood forecasts and the status of works; urgently operate to lower the water level of irrigation reservoirs to receive floods according to regulations, ensure absolute safety of works and do not discharge floods abnormally causing insecurity for downstream areas, especially pay attention not to keep high water levels for reservoirs under construction. Strictly implement early warnings for people in downstream areas before reservoirs discharge floods and when there is a risk of incidents.

Localities should specifically identify areas at risk of flooding and inundation when heavy rains occur; promptly organize thorough drainage of buffer water in areas where heavy rains are forecast and promptly operate irrigation works to drain water for production and people's lives when heavy rains occur. At the same time, closely monitor the developments of storms, floods, the situation of the dyke system, irrigation works, promptly report incidents (if any) to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (through the Department of Dike Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Department of Irrigation Works Management and Construction) for coordination and direction.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/bao-so-5-manh-len-12-tinh-thanh-duoc-yeu-cau-khan-truong-gia-co-de-dieu-va-ho-chua-3300142.html