Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued a dispatch on Monday, asking local authorities and relevant agencies to promptly make the greatest efforts in dealing with the aftermath of a deadly landslide in Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on Sunday.

The fatal landslide took place at around 2:45 pm on the section of National Highway 20 running through Bao Loc Pass, burying three traffic police officers and one local resident at a police station.

The bodies of the three police officers were recovered as of 8:30 pm on Sunday. They include Major Nguyen Khac Thuong, 42; Senior Lieutenant Le Quang Thanh, 46; and Senior Lieutenant Le Anh Sang, 33.

By around 12:00 pm on Monday, rescuers managed to recover the body of the fourth victim, Ngoc Anh.

PM Chinh offered his condolences to the bereaved families.

Given this fatal incident and other recent flooding and landslides triggered by torrential rains in the Central Highlands and southern Vietnam, the government leader asked provincial administrations to direct activities to cope with natural disasters to protect the local lives, especially in the provinces of Lam Dong, Binh Thuan, Binh Phuoc, and Kien Giang.

The head of the Lam Dong Province administration was ordered to urgently tackle the fatal landslide and provide timely support for the families of the victims.

The Lam Dong administration was required to team up with relevant agencies to investigate the cause of the incident; examine, detect, and deal with landslide-prone areas; and adopt measures to ensure traffic safety on National Highway 20 and other major routes throughout the province.

The Ministry of Transport was assigned to coordinate with local authorities, especially the Lam Dong administration, to dispatch forces and vehicles to landslide- and flood-hit locations to cope with the consequences.

The national steering committee for natural disaster prevention and control was told to closely monitor the developments of possible natural disasters and urge localities to take precautionary measures against extreme weather conditions.

PM Chinh also assigned special tasks to the Ministries of Natural Resources and Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Industry and Trade to effectively respond to natural disasters and ensure safety for local people and properties.

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