Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has called for the urgent support of flood victims in central Vietnam, and new measures to cope with the natural disaster and its consequences.

The Vietnamese premier arrived in the south-central province of Binh Dinh, the most heavily impacted area from recent floods, on Wednesday to directly assess the situation faced by local residents.

He visited a village in My Chanh Commune, Phu My District, where hundreds of houses have been submerged and destroyed, to listen to stories of the loss and struggle faced by the local people.

The head of government also paid a trip to Tuy Phuoc District, where a major dam was severely damaged, threatening the lives and safety of nearby households.

He also helped distribute support packs to residents in the affected area.

During his report to the prime minister, Ho Quoc Dung, chairman of the Binh Dinh People’s Committee, stated that the province has been devastated by five waves of flooding in the past one and a half months.

“About 39 people have lost their lives while some 551 houses have been completely destroyed. Multiple roads and streets were mangled and 44 bridges broken,” Dung elaborated.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visits a residential area in Phu My District, Binh Dinh. Photo: Tuoi Tre   

The natural disaster also impacted the agricultural and aquacultural production of farmers, causing total damages worth nearly VND2 trillion (US$87.9 million), the chairman continued.

He urged the central government to provide the local area with VND500 billion ($21.9 million) to restore infrastructure, irrigation systems, and citizen production.

Among eight central provinces, Binh Dinh was struck by the most severe flooding, according to Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

With current weather conditions, central Vietnam is expected to continue falling victim to serious flooding in the coming years, meaning new measures must be enacted to deal with this and future disasters, Minister Cuong added.

Top priority should be given to alleviating the consequences of flooding confronted by local residents and helping them resume their daily life and production as soon as possible, PM Phuc said.

The premier ordered that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, along with relevant agencies, set up a comprehensive plan to minimize the effects of floods on the central region and prevent potential consequences before disasters strike.

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