During a government press conference on the afternoon of 6/12, Nguyen Tri Duc, Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Construction, announced that the two airports in Van Phong and Mang Den have been proposed for inclusion in the regional infrastructure plan. According to the approved plan, the Central and Central Highlands regions will feature 14 airports, 14 seaports with 89 terminal areas, and 208 berths totaling 36,900 m in length.

The region's infrastructure plan also includes 11 expressways spanning nearly 1,500 km, 24 national highways over 4,400 km long, 27 waterway routes covering 1,263 km, and 1,332 km of railway as part of the North-South line.

Nguyen Tri Duc, Chief of Staff and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Construction. Photo: VGP

Duc stated that since 2014, the Ministry of Construction has issued a circular requiring localities to design at least three types of storm and flood-resistant houses, meeting minimum standards for area and quality. Local authorities can also provide additional guidance for renovating or adding floors to create flood-safe elevated spaces. Many localities, such as Hue and Thanh Hoa, have designed 6 to 8 models, which are published on the Department of Construction's information portal.

Given the increasing severity of natural disasters, the Ministry of Construction developed a system of safe house designs for the 2007-2023 period, offering 176 ready-to-use models. These include typical houses for disaster-prone areas, structures resistant to storms, flash floods, and landslides, regional rural houses, and homes adapted to climate change. The designs are based on natural conditions, cultural practices, specific disaster characteristics, and technical standards, and have been adopted by provinces like Dak Lak, Ha Tinh, and Quang Tri.

While these models ensure safety against storms and floods, the Ministry of Construction advises localities to review the terrain of each area to select the most suitable designs, especially as natural disasters become more complex.

Minister and Head of the Government Office, Tran Van Son, announced that repairs for flood-affected homes will be completed in 2025, with new homes finished by January 2026. The government has assigned tasks to relevant agencies to ensure these two deadlines are met.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, natural disasters since the beginning of the year have resulted in 409 deaths and missing persons, and 727 injuries. Over 3,700 homes collapsed, and more than 333,500 homes were damaged. Agricultural losses include 553,000 ha of rice, 376,000 ha of crops, 6.9 million poultry, over 50,000 livestock, 197,000 fish cages and rafts, and nearly 59,000 ha of aquaculture. Total damages are estimated at approximately 100 trillion VND.

To date, international organizations and countries have provided 21 million USD in aid, including materials, funds, and equipment, to help Vietnam overcome the aftermath of storms and floods. Businesses and social organizations have also contributed over 50 billion VND to provinces for crop cultivation, livestock farming, aquaculture, and agriculture. This aid includes crop seeds, chemicals, vaccines, and animal breeds, with nearly one billion fingerlings specifically for the aquaculture sector.

Vu Tuan