Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged authorities and people of southern localities to keep a close watch on typhoon Tembin and must not be negligent as this is a particularly dangerous storm accompanied by high tide.

A teleconference is held in Hanoi on November 24 to discuss the response to typhoon Tembin

Chairing a teleconference in Hanoi on December 24, the Government leader ordered local authorities to evacuate residents to safe places, mobilise police, army and youth forces to assist in reinforcing houses, and ensure the safety of oil rigs at sea.

He asked the localities forecast to be hit by Tembin to instruct farmers to harvest crops soon to minimise losses and suspend all unnecessary meetings to focus on bracing for the typhoon.

While authorised forces must stand ready for search and rescue, strong measures should be taken to deal with boats and persons not complying with storm prevention plans, he added.

Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung said river bank and coast erosion has already been severe in the areas where Tembin is predicted to make landfall. Without prompt response measures, consequences would be immeasurable.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said Tembin, the 16th to hit the East Sea this year, has left over 200 deaths and over 160 others missing in the Philippines. It is moving very fast and forecast to hit the southern region, which rarely faces storms, and thus is inexperienced in dealing with natural disasters of this kind.

The predicted path of typhoon Tembin (Photo: nchmf.gov.vn)

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, typhoon Tembin will lash Con Dao Island on December 25 afternoon and make landfall in the coastal area from Ba Ria – Vung Tau to Ca Mau provinces in the evening the same day, sustaining wind speed of 118 – 133 km per hour.

The central committee for natural disaster prevention reported that more than 13,000 households in 9 provinces had been evacuated, school children were asked to stay at home while helicopters were mobilised to inform ships offshore about the storm.

So far, Con Dao island district of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province has called on all boats operating off its coast to take shelter while all tourists have been moved to safe places. It has also evacuated 1,530 of 2,100 local residents.

Authorities of Tien Giang are also evacuating about 40,000 residents in vulnerable areas to safer places. Meanwhile, the Port Authority of Can Tho city ordered suspending the operation of ports, wharves, and vessels.

By late December 24, Soc Trang had called on 668 boats to move to the mainland and 167 others to take shelter in Con Dao Island. It also moved over 20,000 people to safe places on the day.

Coastal Dong Hai and Hoa Binh district and Bac Lieu city of Bac Lieu province reported that they have prepared enough shelter for residents and will finish evacuating about 350,000 people, one-third of the province’s population, on December 25.

In Ben Tre province, more than 22,100 people are being moved and the work is set to be completed by noon of December 25.-VNA