Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued a directive dated June 19 on intensified efforts to prevent and mitigate damage caused by natural disasters ahead of this year’s rainy and storm season.

The Phu Ho agricultural cooperative in Phu Ho commune, Phu Vang district, Hue city mobilises manpower and pumps to drain floodwater and save rice crops for local farmers. Photo: VNA

Under the directive, the PM instructed relevant agencies to regularly inspect, supervise and proactively implement disaster prevention, response and rescue measures in line with their assigned roles and mandates, ensuring readiness, avoiding passivity or delays, and maintaining operational continuity amid ongoing political and administrative restructuring at levels.

Provincial and municipal People's Committee chairpersons have been tasked with directing and utilising available support resources effectively. They are also required to proactively allocate local budgets and mobilise other lawful sources to resolve outstanding issues ahead of the storm season, particularly those involving dyke systems, reservoirs, telecommunications and electricity infrastructure, drainage networks, and other vulnerabilities identified during Typhoon Yagi in 2024. Ensuring uninterrupted communications and electricity supply is a key priority, while urban flooding, especially during heavy downpours, must be addressed.

The Minister of Agriculture and Environment has been assigned to closely monitor weather and disaster developments, providing timely forecasts and warnings for relevant agencies and the public to facilitate early action and minimise losses.

The Minister of Industry and Trade has been required to oversee safety measures for hydropower reservoirs, the electricity transmission grid, and power supply during the storm season.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Construction has been instructed to ensure disaster resilience in transport and construction infrastructure, with particular attention to drainage systems along major traffic routes and in large urban areas.

The ministers of National Defence, Public Security, Education and Training, Finance, as well as of Agriculture and Environment have also been tasked with responsibilities aligned with their respective functions and jurisdictions.