Deputy Prime Minister: Responding to storm No. 12 requires innovative forecasting and proactive response

VTV.vn - On the morning of October 22, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha held a meeting to respond to storm No. 12, requiring quantification of risks and proactively ensuring absolute safety for people.

Risk of widespread flooding and flash floods in the Central region

Storm No. 12 (Fengshen) is moving slowly, with strong winds at sea, but the big concern is prolonged heavy rain, pushing up the risk of major flooding from Ha Tinh to Quang Ngai when many rivers are at alert levels 2-3. According to forecasts this afternoon (October 22), the storm will enter the coastal strip of Thua Thien Hue - Quang Ngai, weakening to level 8; on the night of October 22 and the morning of October 23, it will become a tropical depression and gradually dissipate.

Heavy rain will continue until October 27: South Quang Tri - Da Nang 500-700 mm, some places over 900 mm; Ha Tinh - North Quang Tri and Quang Ngai 200-400 mm, some places over 500 mm; with extreme values ​​>200 mm/3 hours. Extreme heavy rain scenario of 800-900 mm, some places 400 mm/3 hours needs special attention.

Warning of deep and widespread flooding in Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang Ngai ; very high risk of flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas. Flooding is forecast to affect dozens of communes/wards in each locality; flash flood and landslide risk maps have been updated in detail.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha requested the hydrometeorological forecasting agency to clearly quantify the impact factors of storms, rainfall, and flood risks on each locality and each stage of natural disasters.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested to innovate methods: shifting from general warnings to quantifying risks by location and stage (rain - river water level - urban drainage - landslides - flash floods), to proactively activate evacuation plans, ensure construction safety, regulate traffic, maintain information - energy - rescue.

Activate forces, operate inter-lake flood control downstream

Sea route: Border Guards have notified/counted 67,937 vehicles with 291,864 workers, and provided guidance on avoiding; Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, and Quang Ngai have banned the sea.

Response force: The Ministry of National Defense deployed 262,636 officers, soldiers and 6,028 vehicles in Military Regions 4, 5, 7, 9 and Army Corps 34; along with more than 11,000 people and 1,000 vehicles of other forces ready. Coordinated with localities to check landslides, flash floods, and isolation points, protecting people's lives and property.

Reservoirs: In the Huong, Vu Gia - Thu Bon, Tra Khuc basins, discharge has been increased, reserving capacity to cut floods downstream; the available capacity is still large, the North Central irrigation reservoirs have reached 78-94% of design, the South Central 66-80%. On the sea dyke/river mouth route from Ha Tinh to Dak Lak, there are 38 key locations that need to be guarded and reinforced.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep

Thua Thien Hue : river water level around alert level 1, high tides causing flooding of lagoons and coastal areas; activating 4 scenarios of rain 600–1,000 mm; giving students time off; ready to evacuate >10,000 households/32,000 people; >5,000 people on rescue duty.

Quang Tri : "water-filled" terrain; 152 landslide risk points, 128 riverbank landslide risk points, 10 coastal risk points; 46 culverts at risk of being cut off; forecasted rain of 300-550 mm, some places 700 mm; mobilized >5,000 troops and 17,000 militia; evacuation plan for 12,470 households/44,500 people.

Da Nang : 91 landslide risk points in mountainous areas; urban areas at risk of widespread flooding during high tides; 3 forward command posts; 121 lakes lowered to the lowest level according to the scenario; students given time off; >50 mobile boats, distributed >1,000 life jackets; evacuation completed before the specified time; recommended to stockpile food for 3 days.

Mr. Mai Van Khiem, Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, reported at the meeting.

Proactively responding to storm No. 12, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha requested: Upgrading forecasts "to serve decisions", integrating rain - flood - tide - drainage - reservoir operation in real time; regulating the activation threshold (closing roads, opening pumping stations, regulating discharge, evacuation). Persistently "on-the-spot" with flexible command organization, clear decentralization, data as infrastructure, community as soft shield, the ultimate goal is to protect people's lives, minimize damage.

Source: https://vtv.vn/pho-thu-tuong-ung-pho-bao-so-12-can-doi-moi-du-bao-chu-dong-ung-pho-100251022121338972.htm