The Ministry of Health is urging Departments of Health in the parts from Quang Binh to Phu Yen, including Da Nang, along with relevant units to take proactive measures to cope with floods triggered by heavy rains.

A cold front has brought heavy rainfall to much parts of the Mid-central region, especially in Thua Thien- Hue, Quang Nam, and Quang Ngai. Heavy rainfall in excess of 300mm were recorded over the past 24 hours in some parts of these areas with more than 550 mm of rain dumped at isolated places. Heavy rain affected life in these areas while low-lying areas were inundated and traffic was disrupted.

Viet Nam’s National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has issued warnings of flash floods and landslides for mountainous areas and localized flooding alerts are in place in low-lying and riverside areas as heavy downpours continues to lash the Mid-central region in the coming days.

The health sector in the parts from Quang Binh to Phu Yen, including Da Nang, are urged to take appropriate precautionary measures to cope with floods, flash floods, landslides brought by heavy downpours as well as minimise losses owing to heavy rainand in line with the direction from the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Health, the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, and the National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue.

The focus must be on keeping a close watch on severe weather development, and keep local residents timely informed about severe weather conditions in order to help them protect their property from heavy rains and flooding.

The Observatory will issue the Localised Heavy Rain Advisory, indicating the affected areas and the respective recorded or expected rainfall, to alert the public of potential flooding due to heavy rain in the warning areas, so as to take precautionary measures. The advisory also reminds affected areas to take appropriate responsive actions to alleviate the impact of flooding in concerned areas.

Importance should be attached to creating emergency preparedness and response plan for flooding brought by heavy downpours. Heed should be paid to making effective disease prevention and control plan during and after a flood with a focus on establishing action plan for prevention and control of dengue fever and COVID-19.

High priority should be given to securing adequate medical supplies for people in disaster-hit areas in order to make sure that prompt and efficient action is taken to provide emergency care and medical treatment for patients in affected areas. All necessary measures must be taken to protect healthcare facilities in areas most at risk of flooding, flash floods and  landslides.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by H.L