Deputy Prime Minister Urges Swift Search and Rescue Efforts Following Flash Floods and Landslides in Dien Bien

Strategic Insights -

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has emphasized the necessity of conducting search and rescue operations as quickly as possible to minimize the risk of losing lives in the wake of flash floods and landslides in the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien. Ha directed the mobilization of all available resources to search for the missing, treat the injured, and evacuate residents from dangerous areas to ensure the safety of local residents. He stressed that rescue efforts must be conducted with maximum speed and efficiency, with on-site command and tight coordination.

Key Takeaways:

  • Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has instructed the Ministry of National Defence, local authorities, and relevant forces to urgently mobilise all available resources to search for the missing, treat the injured, and evacuate residents from dangerous areas.
  • Ha directed local authorities to assess the exact condition, location, and severity of each case of the injured, with emergency treatment prioritised for critical cases.
  • Air ambulances will be used if necessary, and central authorities will be notified if the locality's capacity is insufficient.
  • Essential supplies, including food, clean water, medicine, and shelter, will be rapidly delivered to affected residents.
  • As of the evening of August 1, local authorities were focusing on clearing access to central communes and restoring electricity to over 15,000 households affected by the failure of more than 95 transformer stations.
  • Medical teams had been dispatched to provide first aid on-site, and families whose homes were destroyed or at risk had been relocated to safe locations.

Statistics:

  • 7 people were reported dead, 7 injured, and 3 missing as a result of the flash floods and landslides.
  • 231 households were affected, with 17 homes completely swept away and numerous others losing all belongings.
  • 40 homes were submerged, 3 were severely damaged by landslides, and 5 villages were inundated.
  • Several roads remain blocked by landslides, cutting off access.
  • Electrical systems in many neighbourhoods have been destroyed, leaving large areas without power.

Sources:

  • Statement from Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, August 1
  • Report from Chairman of the Dien Bien provincial People's Committee Le Thanh Do, August 1
  • Preliminary report on the impact of the flash floods and landslides in Dien Bien.