I. DISASTER UPDATES

1. Tropical depression in the East Sea (According to the report at 5am on October 16 of the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting):

At 4am on October 16, the location of the tropical’s center was at about 15.0⁰ North latitude; 113.9⁰ East Longitude. The strongest wind in the area near the center of the tropical depression was at level 6 (40-50km/h), gust level 8. In the next 12 to 24 hours, it is forecasted that the tropical depression will move towards the West-Northwest direction, every hour it can move about 25-30km to the mainland of the Central provinces, and then gradually weakens into a depression area. By 4am on October 17, the center of the depression area will be at about 15.0⁰ North latitude; 106.1⁰ East longitude, right above the southern area of Laos. The strongest wind in the center of the depression area will drop below level 6 (below 39km/h). The disaster risk level: Level 3.

2. Rainfall updates.

a) Northern provinces and Thanh Hoa provinve (impact of Storm No. 07)

- From 7pm of October 13 to 7pm of October 15:

+ The Northeastern provinces had heavy to very heavy rain, with common rainfall from 100-250mm, some places had higher rainfall such as: Ba Che (Quang Ninh) 368mm, Luong Mong (Quang Ninh) 308mm, Ta Si Lang (Yen Bai) 327mm, Thai Binh City (Thai Binh) 288mm, Giao Thuy (Nam Dinh) 269mm, Mau Son (Lang Son) 261mm

+ The Northwestern provinces and Thanh Hoa have moderate to heavy rain, the common rainfall was from 50-150mm, some stations had higher rainfall such as Nam Xay (Lao Cai) 177mm, Ha Bi (Son La) 152mm, O Quy Ho (Lao Cai) 152mm, Thach Lam (Thanh Hoa) 200mm, Yen Thang (Thanh Hoa) 156mm.

- Night rainfall from 7pm of October 15 - 7pm of n October 16 with heavy to very heavy rain, the common rainfall was from 50-100mm, some places had higher rainfall: Bim Son (Thanh Hoa) 170mm; Nhu Thanh (Thanh Hoa) 141mm; Dong Giao (Ninh Binh) 142mm; Lieu De (Nam Dinh) 110mm; Vu Ban (Nam Dinh) 108mm; Kim Bang (Ha Nam) 103mm. Currently, the rain has abated, from the 16^th rain will decrease.

b) Central provinces

From 7pm of  October 5 to 7pm of October 13, heavy rain occurred in the Central region in which the total amount of common rainfall :

- Ha Tinh: 350-550 mm (the highest was 798mm in Ky Thuong)

- Quang Binh: 550-1,200 mm (the highest was 1,250mm in Lam Thuy);

- Quang Tri: 900-2,000 mm (the highest was 1,975 mm in A Vao)

- Da Nang: 900-1,250 mm (the highest was 1,276mm at Dong Nghe lake);

- Quang Nam: 1,000-1,500 mm (the highest was 1,520mm at Huong An bridge);

- Quang Ngai: 500-1,000 mm (the highest was 1,072 mm in Tra Hiep);

- Especially in Thua Thien Hue 1,900-2,300 mm. Some stations had measured the precipitation over 2,000mm, exceeding the total historical rainfall in 1999 (2,244mm): Khe Ngang Lake: 2,276mm; A Luoi: 2,290mm; the highest rainfall intensity was up to 719mm/day in Thuong Nhat (the highest rainfall in 1999 was 1,384mm/24h).

- From 7pm of October 14 to 7pm of October 15 rain was scattered, some places in Quang Tri, Quang Nam had rainfall higher than 30mm such as: Phuoc Nang (Quang Nam) 52mm, Trung Son (Quang Tri) 35mm , Tien Phong (Quang Nam) 34mm.

- Night rain from 7pm of October 15 to 7pm of October 16, provinces from Nghe An to Quang Nam continue to witness heavy to very heavy rains, i.e. 20-60mm, particularly Ha Tinh had very heavy rain, the common rainfall was from 80-150mm, some places had higher rainfall: Ha Tinh City 206mm; Hong Linh 171mm; Can Loc 164mm.

3. Flood situation

Floods at rivers continued to decrease, the water level at 10pm on October 15 on some rivers were as follows:

- Bo river in Phu Oc: 3.40m; 0.4m above alert level II;

- Huong river in Kim Long: 1.79m; 0.21m below alert level II.

- Vu Gia river in Ai Nghia: 7.41m; 0.59m below alert level II.

Forecast: From October 16-21, on rivers from Nghe An to Phu Yen and in the Central Highlands, a flood will occur with flood peaks are at river downstreams from Nghe An to Quang Ngai, river upstreams in Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, KonTum, Gia Lai may possibly rise to alert level 2-alert level 3 and above alert level 2; particularly rivers from Ha Tinh to Thua Thien Hue exceed alarming level 3..

4. Flooding and people evacuation situation

As of 5pm on October 15, 2020, 14,937 households that were at risk of landslides were evacuated, out of a total of 21,785 households were evacuated; of which 14,867 households had to be evacuated due to flooding in some parts of 07 districts of Thua Thien Hue province and Thang Binh district of Quang Nam province (Thua Thien Hue: 14,857 households; Quang Nam: 10 households), 70 households had to relocate due to the risk of landslide in Tay Giang district (Quang Nam). The water in other localities has withdrawn, people have returned home.

II. RESERVOIR SITUATION

1. Inter reservoir in the Red River basin

Flood-regulating resevoirs in the North : Hoa Binh resevoir discharged through one outlet gate at 6pm on October 13.

Son La, Hoa Binh, Tuyen Quang, Thac Ba reservoirs: must be proactively and responsibly safely operated according to the Telegram No. 18/ CĐ-TW dated October 5, 2020 and 19/CĐ- TW dated October 6, 2020 of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

2. Huong river basin: The reservoirs are basically full of water, currently discharging total volume of 300-500m³/s back to the flood water level. Parameters at 5am on October 16:

The reservoirs need to increase their discharge volume to gradually lower their water level to prepare for the coming rain and flood events .

3. Vu Gia - Thu Bon river basin: Large reservoirs are basically filled with water and are discharging. Parameters at 5am on October 16:

  4. Ca river basin: Ban Ve, Khe Bo reservoirs reached over 90% of the designed capacity. Parameters at 5am on October 16:

Continue to monitor, proactively operate according to the process.

5. Ma river basin : The reservoirs reached 68-80% of the design capacity. Parameters at 5am on October 16:

III. DISASTER RESPONSE AND RECOVERY LEADERSIP AND DIRECTIONS

1. At Central level

- The Prime Minister issued Official Telegrams on uregent rescue and recovery from landslides in Sub-zone 67 and the Rao Trăng 03 hydropower plant in Thua Thien Hue province.

- MARD Minister - Permanent Vice-Chairman of Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control Nguyen Xuan Cuong chaired the meeting to direct the work of overcoming the consequences of Storm No. 07, flooding in the Central region and responding to tropical depressions in the East Sea.

- The Ministry of National Defense continues to direct Military Region 4 and military units in mobilizing 1,178 people, 257 vehicles of all kinds and 03 detection dogs to search for missing people.

- The General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army has directed the maritime units from Nghe An to Ba Ria-Vung Tau for detailed situation of the tropical depression in the East Sea, alarm ship owners and captains to take initiative in preventive measures.

- The Standing Office of the CCNDPC issued the Telegram No. 26 / CĐ-TW at 4:30pm on October 15 to send to coastal provinces and cities from Nghe An to Binh Thuan and related ministries and branches to proactively response to tropical depression in the East Sea.

2. At Local level

- Central provinces continue to focus on directing search and rescue work, recovery from rain and flood events .

- Organize the deployment of Official Telegrams of the Prime Minister and the Standing Office of the CCNDPC in overcoming consequences of rain and flood and responding to tropical depressions .

IV. RESCUE, TRAFFIC RESTORATION AND VEHICLE CHECKING

1. Search and rescue: The rescue forces found 13/13 bodies of the missing victims at the Sub-zone 67 in Thua Thien Hue province .
2. Traffic restoration: By noon October 15, the traffic of National Highway 49 into Thua Thien Hue and West Branch of Ho Chi Minh Road has been re-opened (the national highway routes and railway are completely opened). Continuing to level the traffic route from the Sub-zone 67 to Rao Trang 03 hydropower plant, Thua Thien Hue province.
3. Ship and boat checking: The Border Defense Forces of coastal provinces and cities from Nghe An to Ba Ria-Vung Tau have coordinated with the local authorities to announce, count and guide 58,881 vehicles/293,292 people about the situation of the tropical depression to proactively prevent or relocate from dangerous areas as following:

• Vehicles in the center of the East Sea (including Hoang Sa archipelago): 371 ships/ 2,200 people.
• Vehicles in other areas: 5,787 ships/42,768 people.
• Vehicles anchored at terminals: 52,777 ships/248,324 people. 

V. DAMAGE BY NATURAL DISASTER

1. Damage caused by floods in the Central region since October 6:

a) Lives:

+ Deaths: 55 people (an increase of 15 people compared to the report dated October 15), including: Quang Binh 02, Quang Tri 13 (01 more people on Vietship board who injured and did not survive), Thua Thien Hue 22 (an increase of 14 bodies found after declared missing, including 13 rescue officials in Sub-zone 67), Quang Nam 09, Da Nang 03, Quang Ngai 01, Gia Lai 01, Dak Lak 01, Lam Dong 01, Kon Tum 02.

+ Missings: 07 people (down 01 people compared to the report dated October 15 due to the body found in Thua Thien Hue province), of which: Quang Tri 03, Da Nang 01, Quang Nam 02, Gia Lai 01.

b) On housing: 649 houses collapsed, damaged (an increase of 64 houses compared to the report dated October 15)

c) Regarding traffic: 168 points of National highway, 33,639m of local roads were eroded and damaged (provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai).

d) Agriculture: 900ha of rice, 5,514ha of crops were flooded and buried; 3,978ha of aquatic products were damaged; 445,708 cattle and poultry died and were swept away.

đ) Regarding ships: a total of 06 ships with 57 people had accidents during disasters in Quang Tri province, among them 50 people were rescued, 07 people died and were missing; a total of 04 fishing boats with 17 people were sunk, but crew members were safely rescued.

2. Damage caused by the circulation of Storm No. 7:

- Lives: 01 missing (Mua A Trang, born 1987, Tram Tau district, Yen Bai, was swept away while wading through the stream).

- Housing: 01 house collapsed, 14 houses damaged.

- Agriculture: 870 ha of rice decreased productivity, 105 ha of vegetables and crops damaged.

- Dyke incident: In Nam Dinh province, there was a collapse of the roof of Hai Thinh 3 embankment, Hai Hau sea dyke with the area of pits of 278m² (at K25+320 and K25+770).

VI. NEXT STEPS

Continue to implement the Official Telegrams of the Prime Minister and the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, in which focus on implementing the following contents:

1. Continue to carry out search and rescue work; organizing visits, encouragement, and timely support for families with dead/missing people, cure the injured; providing emergency relief of food for households in danger of hunger; environmental sanitation, housing, and clean water support for the affected people; quickly overcome the consequences of rain and flood, restore production.
2. Provide urgent assistance for localities to overcome the consequences of natural disasters in the Central provinces at the request of the Central Steering Committee for Prevention and Control in Document No. 145/ TWPCTT of October 14, 2020.
3. Direct and organize the supervision of the operation of irrigation and hydropower reservoirs to ensure their safety and safety of downstream aeras, especially for reservoirs in Huong, Vu Gia - Thu Bon river basins;
4. Strengthen communication on complex developments of rain, flood and low pressure in the East Sea; instruct people in taking safe measures during disasters; especially in deeply flooded areas and for people in flooded areas even flood water may recede.
5. Continuing to review and assess damage caused by natural disasters, learn from experiences in response and rescue in the last floods.
6. Strengthen the management and guidance of ships at sea to migrate, avoid tropical depression and at anchorage areas, avoid repeated incidents of ships and boats as recent days, especially pay attention to transport ships anchoring in the estuary when floods occur.
7. Check residential areas at risk of landslides, flash floods, including urban areas to actively relocate to safe places.
8. Examine and prepare plans and measures to cope with heavy rains and floods in the Central region, especially the localities severely affected by the recent floods and rains./.