The Da Nang Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue and Civil Defence is urging authorties at local level and relevant agencies to take proactive steps to reduce risk and minimize potential impacts of extreme weather events that may occur in the city over the next 10 days.

A disturbance in the East Sea now has a high chance of becoming a tropical depression sometime from November 18 -20, Viet Nam’s National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting said. Forecasters are giving it a 20-30% chance of developing into a tropical storm over the next couple of days.

A spell of heavy rain is expected over the parts from Ha Tinh to Ninh Thuan, including Da Nang, and Central Highlands from November 19 – 23.

Authorties at local level and relevant agencies are instructed to keep a close watch on severe weather development in order to take mitigation measures in response to severe weather events as well as help local residents take precautions against extreme weather conditions to protect themselves and their properties during the bad weather.

The heed should paid to keeping owners of vessels operating at sea timely informed about severe weather conditions in order to help them take the initiative to avoid dangerous areas or seek safe shelters during the bad weather. Importance must be on attached to making the resources available in order to organize timely rescue of any person in distress at sea and provide timely support for those who need it during severe weather.

Authorities in flood-prone areas are asked to prepare for floods and possible isolation by stocking up on essential items including medication, food, and drinks. Local-level authorities are directed to make emergency response and evacuation plans for community areas that are vulnerable to flooding and landslides, especially those living along Tuy Loan and Cu De rivers, in order to move residents in these high-risk areas to safe place. Special attention shoulde be paid to resolutely banning people from travelling or fishing on rivers, low-lying areas, flooded areas, underground passages, flooded bridges, forests, mountains and landslide prone areas.

Reporting by HOANG HIEP – Translating by H.L