Central localities urged to overcome storm consequences

The Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control urged the localities to take prompt actions to ensure the safety of people and facilities in the lowlands of the Song Bung 2 hydropower plant on the upper reaches of Vu Gia River in Nam Giang district, Quang Nam province as an incident in the gate of a penstock at the plant killed two workers and swept away three houses.

The Prime Minister also asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the EVN and Quang Nam province to hastily overcome the incident and find its reasons. 

The central localities were requested to calculate damage caused by storm Rai and mobilise forces to help the people stabilise their lives. 

According to a report from the Steering Committee, the year's fourth storm caused serious damage to Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang and Quang Ngai. 

It injured 34 people, damaged 690 houses. Heavy rains brought by the storm flooded 8,422 hectares of rice and 2,063 hectares of other crops.

The Steering Committee also asked the provinces to prepare active measures to deal with the effects of super typhoon Meranti, which hit China’s Taiwan on September 14 and is forecast to land in Guangdong province on September 15 morning.

The local authorities should coordinate with armed forces to inform owners of ships operating in the northern part of the East Sea about the developments of the storm for timely response. 

Provinces from Nghe An to Quang Binh must actively implement measures to deal with rain and flood to be caused by the typhoon while inspecting the safety of lakes and dams, especially those under construction on rivers and streams in areas where heavy rains are expected.