Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh attended the meeting from the Government headquarters, while Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung joined from Khanh Hoa province, along with leaders from the National Steering Committee for Civil Defense.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired an online meeting from Algeria to respond to floods in the Central region, on the evening of November 20. Photo: Nhat Bac

During the meeting, the prime minister expressed his sympathy to the authorities and people in the areas severely affected by the natural disaster. He extended his deepest condolences to the families of those who died, went missing, or were injured.

The government leader emphasized that the most important task is to save lives and protect the health of the people. Agencies must actively search for missing persons and arrange funerals for the deceased. "It is imperative to immediately restore housing for residents, schools for students, and medical facilities for the sick. Promptly deliver food, water, and medicine to areas cut off," the prime minister stated, also highlighting the need to address disruptions to electricity, telecommunications, and transport.

Earlier that day, in an official dispatch, the prime minister directed the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security to mobilize maximum resources, including helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, to assist with evacuations, rescue operations, and the delivery of aid to flood-affected residents. He urged Khanh Hoa, Dak Lak, and Gia Lai provinces to "use all measures" to rescue people in flooded areas.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung traveled by helicopter to Khanh Hoa to survey the situation and directly oversee efforts to access, relocate, and assist the local population.

The urgent online meeting connected Algeria and Vietnam. Photo: Nhat Bac

Since November 16, heavy rains, with some areas receiving over 1,700 mm, have occurred from Gia Lai to Khanh Hoa. Flood levels on the Ba River, Ky Lo River (Dak Lak), and Dinh Ninh Hoa River (Khanh Hoa) have peaked, exceeding historical flood levels by 0.2-1.1 meters.

The Ministry of National Defense deployed 18,000 officers and soldiers and 441 vehicles. The Ministry of Public Security mobilized 17,600 officers and soldiers and 24,143 personnel to ensure local security and order, along with 3,207 vehicles for flood response and recovery efforts.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment organized two rounds of SMS messages to 26.4 million subscribers and 24.1 million Zalo messages, warning residents in flood-affected areas.

Local authorities swiftly evacuated 18,408 households, comprising 61,035 people, from dangerous areas. They also closed schools and operated reservoirs to mitigate downstream flooding.

As of 8 PM this evening, the country reported 41 deaths and 9 missing persons due to floods. Additionally, 167 homes were damaged, and 51,100 homes were submerged. Khanh Hoa, Gia Lai, and Dak Lak provinces experienced widespread flooding in numerous wards and communes.

Agricultural damage includes 13,026 hectares of rice, crops, and vegetables, and 2,183 hectares of perennial and annual crops. Furthermore, 30,731 livestock and poultry were killed or swept away, and 88 hectares of lobster farms were damaged. Over one million customers lost power, with service restored to more than 457,000 customers so far.

Vu Tuan