Focusing on overcoming the consequences of storm No. 3

On September 15, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired an online conference with 26 provinces and cities affected by storm No. 3 on solutions to overcome the consequences, support people and businesses to stabilize their lives, and restore production and business activities.

Provincial Party Secretary Bui Minh Chau chaired the conference at Phu Tho bridge.

Chairing the Phu Tho bridge was comrade Bui Minh Chau - Member of the Party Central Committee, Provincial Party Secretary, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Council, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation.

According to the summary reports of localities, by 6:00 a.m. on September 15, storm No. 3 and its circulation had killed or left missing 348 people; about 1,920 people were injured; nearly 232,000 houses were damaged; more than 238,000 hectares of rice and crops were flooded and damaged; Nearly 32,000 hectares of fruit trees were damaged; there were over 300 dike incidents...

After the flood receded, all levels and sectors urgently carried out post-storm recovery and reconstruction work. Localities urgently repaired dike works and upgraded dike sections that did not ensure flood safety. Regarding transportation, airports and seaports have resumed normal operations, the northern railway lines have basically been cleared; machinery, vehicles and human resources are being mobilized on roads to promptly and completely overcome landslides. The health sector ensures medical examination and treatment for people in disaster-affected areas; guides people on water and environmental treatment to prevent disease outbreaks after storms and floods. Educational facilities are being urgently repaired, mobilizing the entire sector and the whole country to support teaching and learning equipment. At the same time, solutions are being deployed to restore production, business, and stabilize people’s lives.

Overview of the conference at Phu Tho bridge.

In Phu Tho province, storm No. 3 caused damage to people, property, crops, and aquatic products of the people; many headquarters of agencies, education, and health care facilities had their roofs blown off and were damaged; dykes, irrigation works, and traffic works were eroded, especially 2 spans of Phong Chau bridge collapsed and many other damages. Preliminary estimates show that the total value of damage up to now is over 950 billion VND. Disaster recovery work in the province has been and is being implemented; especially prioritizing medical facilities, education facilities, traffic works, irrigation works, and electricity to ensure living conditions for the people.

On the morning of September 9, pillar T7 and spans 6 and 7 of Phong Chau bridge connecting Tam Nong - Lam Thao districts collapsed.

Concluding the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested all levels, sectors, and localities to focus on overcoming the consequences caused by storm No. 3; Quickly stabilize the situation of the people, restore production and business, promote economic growth; control inflation well, ensure political security, social order and safety. First of all, it is necessary to focus on searching for missing people, rescuing the injured, arranging temporary accommodation for people whose houses are damaged; review, inspect, and access areas cut off and isolated by floods and landslides; mobilize forces to clean up the environment and prevent epidemics. Prioritize stabilizing local people; visit and encourage families in distress, resolve policies according to regulations; quickly overcome damage at educational institutions, ensuring that in September, all students can go to school. Along with that, sectors and localities should study policies to exempt and reduce tuition fees for students affected by the storm.

For the task of restoring production and business, it is necessary to continue to count the damage in all fields; Quickly restore production and services, and prevent essential services and production and supply chains from being disrupted. The banking sector proactively reviews and summarizes the damage to customers who are borrowing capital, promptly applies policies to support interest rates, defer debt, and continue lending so that people and businesses have the conditions to restore production and business.

Accelerate disbursement of public investment capital, national target programs, and effectively use support funds for post-storm reconstruction; have plans to ensure the supply of goods, strengthen market control, and prevent shortages and unreasonable price increases. Effectively implement policies to postpone, exempt, and reduce taxes, fees, and charges... for organizations, individuals, and businesses that suffer damage due to storms and floods in accordance with the law; insurance businesses promptly compensate for losses to insurance buyers to ensure prompt, complete, and timely compliance with contractual agreements.

Ministries, branches and localities shall, based on their functions, tasks and authority, proactively and actively organize the implementation of tasks and solutions to overcome the consequences of natural disasters in a timely and effective manner.

Nguyen Hue