Forces rushing to flooded zones for evacuation and rescue efforts

On the afternoon of November 20, in Khanh Hoa, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung held a meeting to direct the flood response and relief in the provinces of Khanh Hoa, Gia Lai, Dak Lak and Lam Dong. Present at the event were Tran Duc Thang, Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Agriculture and Environment; Nghiem Xuan Thanh, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Lieutenant General Le Quang Dao, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army; Tran Phong, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; and Vice-Chairpersons of the Provincial People's Committees.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung and Provincial Party Secretary Nghiem Xuan Thanh visit flood victims in Suoi Hiep Commune.

Extensive destruction and damage

In recent days, due to prolonged heavy rains combined with the release of water from reservoirs, many areas in the province have been severely flooded. To evacuate people from dangerous areas, soldiers, militia, police, units of the Ministry of National Defense, and Military Region 5 have mobilized more than 15,000 officers and soldiers with 227 vehicles to participate in the rescue. 846 households with more than 3,000 people have been evacuated to safety. Currently, the evacuation and rescue efforts are underway to help isolated communities.

In the province, floods have reportedly caused 14 deaths and left 1 person missing, including 6 fatalities from landslides at Khanh Le Pass and 2 at Khanh Son Pass. Since November 16, as many as 162 flooded sites have been recorded across 54 communes and wards. At present, many families in areas such as Tay Nha Trang, Nam Nha Trang, Dien Khanh, and Dien are in urgent need of evacuation. The flooding has caused extensive destruction, damaging homes, crops, public infrastructure, and aquaculture farms, with losses estimated at VND760 billion.

Based on the Government's VND50 billion aid, the province has urgently allocated VND112 billion to affected communes and wards across the province. From now until the end of November 21, widespread rainfall of 70–100mm is forecast across Gia Lai, Dak Lak, and northern Khanh Hoa Province. Many rivers are surpassing their historical flood peaks.

Provincial Party Secretary Nghiem Xuan Thanh speaks at the meeting.

Evacuation and rescue efforts

Minister Tran Duc Thang urged Khanh Hoa Province to continue urgently evacuating residents from flooded areas, ensure the supply of essential goods, operate reservoirs safely, and address traffic congestion to protect public safety. At the meeting, Provincial Party Secretary Nghiem Xuan Thanh emphasized that this is a historic flood, caused by continuous heavy rainfall over three days across the province.

Amid the ongoing complex flood situation, on the afternoon of November 19 the Provincial Party Committee’s Standing Committee assigned officials to inspect affected areas and strengthen evacuation and rescue efforts. The province also proposed that the Central Government, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Ministry of Public Security continue to deploy forces and resources to support evacuation, while providing additional personnel, equipment and funding support for localities.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung concludes the meeting.

Lieutenant General Le Quang Dao directed the Military Region 5 Command to urgently reach isolated communities and promptly propose the deployment of support forces, aircraft, boats, and canoes, while ensuring absolute safety for all personnel involved in rescue operations. At present, the Ministry of National Defense has stationed two helicopters at Cam Ranh International Airport to assist with rescue efforts.

Concluding the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung instructed units to continue deploying forces to reach deeply flooded areas for rescue, evacuation, and food provision. In evacuation centers, young volunteers and women are to be mobilized to prepare meals for affected residents. The Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security are tasked with mobilizing maximum forces to support localities, directing evacuees to remain at military and police barracks to ensure safety. The Ministry of Science and Technology is to urgently restore communication systems; the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Public Security are to dispatch functional forces to regulate traffic on key routes; the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, is to guide reservoir operations to ensure safety and minimize damage. The Ministry of Health is to provide medicines and equipment to localities, while supporting and guiding post‑flood hygiene measures. The Ministry of Education and Training is to implement measures to safeguard students, ensuring in-person classes resume only when it is safe.

On the afternoon of November 20, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung directly inspected several deeply flooded communes in Dien Khanh. He visited households in affected areas, delivering supplies and encouraging residents to continue efforts to overcome the hardships and losses caused by the historic flood.

V.K-M.H

Translated by N.T