Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister NguyenXuan Phuc has urged relevant ministries, agencies and localities to takedrastic measures to cope with potential flooding from a tropical depressionthat is developing close to coastal areas.

The tropical depression is moving towards thesouthern coast of the southernmost province of Ca Mau and is expected todirectly affect coastal provinces from Ben Tre to Ca Mau and Kien Giang,according to the National Hydro-meteorological Forecast Centre.

The tropical depression is forecast to producewinds of up to 60km per hour and cause whirlwinds. Heavy rains of up to 200mmhave already hit some south central provinces from November 1.   

Central provinces from Thua Thien-Hue to Binh Thuanand the central Highlands region are expected to experience heavy rains. Theyare warned of possible floods, flash floods and landslides.  

Meanwhile, another tropical depression north ofPalawan in the Philippines has winds of up to 60 km per hour near its centre.It is expected to continue moving westward, gaining strength and possibleturning into a storm.

Because of their movements, south-central andsouthern provinces are facing a double tropical depression, the NationalSteering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control announced onNovember 1 at an urgent meeting.

The PM asked the National Steering Committee forNatural Disaster Prevention and Control and relevant agencies to directlyinspect, supervise, accelerate and co-ordinate with localities to effectivelyimplement concrete measures to mitigate consequences.

Localities in the areas affected by heavy rainsand floods (from Thua Thien-Hue to Khanh Hoa and the central Highlands region)and areas forecasted to hit by the tropical depression should draw lessons fromthe historical floods in 1999 and 2016, keeping close watch over thedevelopment of rains, floods and the tropical depressions and proactively takepreventive measures, the PM said.

The preventive measures should focus on ensuringsafety for ships operating offshore, such as informing and guiding ship ownerson the development of the tropical depressions and banning vessels fromoperating offshore, depending on the real conditions of each locality; andexamining and upgrading dyke systems and reservoirs, particularly those inhigh-risk areas.

Local authorities are asked to proactivelyevacuate people in areas prone to floods and landslides and take measures toprevent flooding in urban areas, particularly in areas where the APEC meetingswill be held.

A delegation, led by Deputy Chief of theSecretariat of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Preventionand Control, Nguyen Duc Quang, worked with the People’s Committee of the MekongDelta province of Bac Lieu on measures against the tropical depression.

The delegation then directly examined preventivemeasures at high-risk areas in the province.  

On the same day, authorities of Tra Vinh, SocTrang and Ben Tre went to high-risk areas to inspect and guide preventivemeasures and held an urgent meeting to call on all available forces to be readyin terms of vehicles, materials and human resources to cope with possiblefloods and effects of the tropical depression.

Border guards and Natural Disaster Preventionand Control Committees in cities and provinces from Quang Ngai to Kien Giang onNovember 1 morning warned the crews of 51,000 boats about weather developments.-VNA