Attending the conference were Nguyen Thai Hung, member of the Standing Board of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People's Council, and representatives of departments, agencies, Son La city, and districts, among others.

Storm Prapiroon, the second of its kind hitting Vietnam this year, has triggered flash floods and landslides, causing huge human and property losses in Son La province. By July 27, floods had killed nine people, and left one missing, and five others injured. Meanwhile, 2,300 houses were destroyed and seven bridges swept away. As many as 130 landslide sites were reported, of them 65 have been temporarily handled to serve traffic.

The natural disasters also pulled down 25 medium voltage poles and 101 low voltage poles, inundated and collapsed two transformer stations, and damaged 2,765m of low voltage wire, and 23 electric meter boxes. By 6:30 pm on July 26, as many as 1,057 customers had been left without power.

Torrential rains and floods also inundated about 1,688 hectares of rice, over 238 hectares of flowers and vegetables, 370 hectares of annual crops, 162 hectares of perennial crops, and 76.6 hectares of fruit trees. Over 187 heads of cattle and 9,587 heads of poultry were swept away, and up to 204 hectares of fish farms were damaged. The total economic loss is estimated at over 315 billion VND (12.45 million USD). 

The province has mobilised forces to promptly support the families of the deceased, missing or injured. The army, police, and volunteer forces have assisted residents in flood-hit areas in relocation, ensuring security and order there. Relevant sectors and units have also deployed more personnel to promptly fix problems in traffic, electricity, water, and irrigation. Districts and Son La city have worked out support plans according to Decree No. 02/2017/ND-CP dated January 9, 2021 of the Government on mechanisms and policies in support of agricultural production. 

At the conference, the Vietnam Academy for Water Resources proposed solutions to flooding in Son La city. For flooding in Nam La stream, it suggested upgrading the flood drainage through existing karst caves, or building a flood drainage route through Cao Pha Pass.

Participants looked into objective and subjective causes, as well as measures to prevent, respond to, and overcome the immediate and long-term consequences of floods to minimise damage, especially when the Son La provincial Hydrometeorological Station forecasts the province would experience more torrential rains in the coming days.

In his remarks, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Lo Minh Hung assigned the Party delegation to the provincial People's Committee, the provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, and the secretaries of district and city Party committees to step up the review of the list of individuals eligible for relief aid, ensuring equality and transparency, avoiding negative phenomena, complaints and denunciations.

Efforts should be stepped up to support families of the deceased and injured, and those whose houses collapsed, while helping locals restore agricultural production and soon stabilise their lives, he said.

He asked the Party delegation to the provincial People's Committee to direct the inspection of traffic, irrigation, medical and educational facilities, set forth plans and response measures, and put them into normal operation soon.

The official also urged relevant sectors and agencies to repair affected works, ensure timely electricity and clean water supply, communication and environmental sanitation for people, immediately implement measures to prevent and control epidemics after rains and floods, continue to ensure dam safety, and prepare personnel and equipment for possible cases.

Hung also ordered reviewing the public investment plan for 2021-2025, and the 2024 provincial budget, saying unnecessary projects and tasks should be stopped and postponed to focus resources on overcoming the consequences of natural disasters, repairing infrastructure, and supporting production and people’s lives.

In the long term, localities and agencies need to seriously implementing the government and the province’s instructions on natural disaster prevention and control, and search and rescue operations, he continued.

Armed forces were also asked to coordinate closely and promptly with localities in evacuation, search and rescue, and the fixing of natural disaster consequences when requested by the Steering Committees for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue of the province, districts, and Son La city./.