Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee Phan Thien Dinh chaired the meeting at Hue City online post. Photo: Ngoc Hieu

Recovering from floods and preparing for the incoming storm at the same time

At Hue City online post, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee Phan Thien Dinh chaired the session and reported to the Deputy Prime Minister on the flood situation and storm preparedness in the area. Also attending the meeting was Mr. Hoang Hai Minh, Standing Committee Member of the City Party Committee, Vice Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee, and Standing Deputy Head of Hue City Civil Defense Steering Committee.

According to the report by the Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee, as of 7:00 a.m. on November 6th, water levels on the Perfume River at Kim Long Station were near Alarm Level II; on the Bo River at Phu Oc Station, 0,53 meters above Alarm Level II. The city is concentrating resources on addressing the aftermath of the prolonged floods from October 25th to November 3rd, while also proactively preparing for the approaching storm.

Hue City has received and distributed over 500 tons of rice, 6 tons of dried food, 31.800 boxes of instant noodles, 20.600 boxes of milk, and various disaster prevention supplies from national reserves, organizations, and individuals through the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Red Cross Society, Women’s Union, and others to ensure no household lacks food. In rescue operations, Hue City Military Command mobilized more than 43.290 personnel and 1.352 vehicles to evacuate residents to safe areas. Hue City Police mobilized over 11.800 officers and soldiers along with more than 13.000 vehicles to support flood response.

As of the morning of November 6th, 15 out of 32 wards and communes in the city were still flooded, with more than 10,534 houses submerged 0,3 - 0,5 meters deep, and even higher in some areas like Quang Dien, Phong Dinh, Hoa Chau, Thanh Thuy, and Phu Ho. Students in mountainous areas have returned to school; authorities and forces are assisting flooded schools with cleaning and disinfection to resume classes soon. Electricity, water, and transportation systems have been largely restored, and no villages or neighborhoods remain isolated.

 The Ta Trach Reservoir is increasing flood control capacity in response to Storm No. 13’s circulation. Photo: Nguyen Khanh

Developing three scenarios and identifying potential risks

Following the Prime Minister’s directive, Hue City is managing inter-reservoir operations, including Huong Dien, Binh Dien, and Ta Trach, to reduce flooding on the Perfume and Bo Rivers. With a total capacity of about 370 million cubic meters, these reservoirs can reduce flood peaks corresponding to rainfall between 300-350 mm per 24 hours.

To ensure readiness, the city has developed three storm and rainfall scenarios, corresponding to rainfall levels from 200-600 mm, with forecasts indicating that water levels may exceed Alarm Level III on the Perfume and Bo Rivers. Hue has also identified potential natural disaster risks: coastal areas face threats of strong winds, high waves, storm surges, and erosion, especially in Thuan An and Vinh Loc, home to over 3.000 households (9.977 residents). Mountainous regions have 48 high-risk landslide points. In lowland and urban areas, strong winds and flooding could occur in 32 of 40 wards and communes. Regarding fishing vessels, 1.049 boats with 7.247 workers have taken shelter safely. The city continues to maintain 24/7 command readiness and ensures rescue forces and equipment are prepared.

In his directive, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha noted that even though Hue is not currently in the predicted storm center, the flood situation remains highly complex. Thus, he requested that Hue City closely monitor forecasts, continuously update storm trajectories, and prepare contingency plans should the storm change direction and directly impact the area.

“This is a mandatory consideration in local command and implementation”, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

At the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha instructed Da Nang City and the provinces of Quang Tri, Quang Ngai, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Khanh Hoa, and the Office of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee to maintain proactive and flexible coordination in responding to Storm No. 13, with concrete, practical, and effective measures to minimize storm and flood damage.

Currently, the Hue City Military Command has deployed 5.933 officers, 4 ships, 54 boats, 3 BTR-152 armored vehicles, 6 Kamaz trucks, 10 command vehicles, and various other support equipment at key locations. The city police have mobilized 2,000 officers, 50 canoes, 60 boats, 24 fire trucks, 2,000 life jackets, and rescue equipment. Additionally, the units have received 58 rubber boats, 700 rescue rafts, 7,000 life vests, 20 tents, 9 generators, and other specialized equipment. As for materials and essential goods, the city has stockpiled over 20 tons of rice, 4.000 boxes of instant noodles, 2.000 units of dried food, 100.000 bottles of drinking water, and sufficient fuel and other supplies for disaster response.

Communication systems remain fully operational, with hotlines 112 and 19001075 available around the clock to promptly receive and process reports. Commune and ward People’s Committees are instructed to evacuate residents from high-risk areas, especially coastal zones, low-lying areas, and regions prone to landslides or storm surges, based on specific risk levels.
Story: PHONG ANH