Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urgently asked localities to quickly resolve the problems caused by a tropical storm, enabling life in the storm-hit areas to return to normal. The storm, the first this year, caused heavy rains, flash floods and deaths, and swept away numerous houses in the northern region. The mountainous Son La Province alone reported seven deaths, four missing persons and three cases of injuries. The Deputy PM requested the Son La Province's People's Committee to continue the search for the missing persons, to assist families of the injured and dead people, and to provide water, food and other necessities to those who lost their houses or were seriously affected by the disaster. He asked the province to station people in both inland and water traffic routes to ensure safe transport of local residents, to continue the shifting of people living in high-risk areas, and to mobilize youth, army and police forces to help the local people clean the environment and repair houses damaged by flash foods. Deputy PM Phuc said the transport ministry should examine and promptly repair the damage caused by the storm to traffic infrastructure, ensuring smooth transport on key traffic routes. The natural resources and environment ministry was asked to direct the National Meteorological Centre to continue keeping a close eye on and forecast the development of natural disasters. It was also asked to provide timely information to the Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, mass media and related ministries and sectors to enable localities and people to prevent and deal with disasters. Deputy PM Phuc said the National Committee for Search and Rescue should direct relevant forces to be well-prepared to help localities to undertake rescue and search work when needed. (Vietnam News June 26)
