To proactively respond to upcoming heavy rains, on July 26 afternoon, representatives from the provincial Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue, and the Son La city People's Committee inspected the Bom Bay area in Phieng Hay hamlet and some landslide sites in Chieng Xom commune.

They found that the water level in the Bom Bay area was rising, the karst caves were being deeply submerged in water, and mud and waste was partially blocking drainage systems in the caves, causing widespread flooding.

Therefore, on the morning of July 27, the steering committee directed Son La city to coordinate with the provincial Military Command, and the Irrigation Works Management Company Limited to deploy more than 100 officers, soldiers and other forces to clear the garbage at the cave entrances, and trees stuck in the flood drainage caves in Liep Phi, Sang and La Muong hamlets, Chieng Xom commune. The provincial Department of Industry and Trade also requested the Nam La Hydropower Company to run the Nam La Hydropower Plant at maximum capacity for water drainage.

The steering committee also issued a dispatch urging response to widespread downpours. The dispatch required departments, sectors and localities at all levels to proactively respond to floods caused by widespread heavy rains; and all "4 on-site" forces to be on duty around the clock, and check all vulnerable places to evacuate people and property when necessary. People were advised not to go to rivers or streams to catch fish or collect firewood, and absolutely not to move to areas at high risk of landslides. It is also essential to prepare food to promptly supply to locals, it wrote.

The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development was asked to direct, inspect, and urge localities to ensure the safety of irrigation dams, especially key ones, to prevent unexpected incidents that cause damage to people's lives and property.

To ensure road traffic, the provincial Department of Transport was urged to steer the Road Maintenance Management Board, and road management and maintenance contractors to increase patrols, monitor the routes under their management, and promptly detect road and bridge incidents post floods to report them to authorities for timely response measures.

The Son La provincial Armed Forces was required to continue to monitor the situation in localities; and carry out timely and effective response, and search and rescue missions. Meanwhile, the Department of Health was requested to instruct medical facilities to ensure reserve medicine, organise medical examination and treatment, focus on treating the injured; and coordinate with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to immediately ensure environmental sanitation and food safety in areas where flood waters recede, proactively carry out plans to prevent and combat epidemics that may arise after floods, disinfect water sources, and maintain hygiene to prevent infectious diseases and the emergence of pathogens.

The steering committee also required localities to focus on reviewing areas at risk of landslides, and flash floods to have plans to evacuate people and property to safe places; and closely monitor weather forecasts to promptly notify locals to proactively respond to natural disasters.