Ministry of Industry and Trade issues telegram on emergency response to storm No. 3 (WIPHA)

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, at 4:00 p.m. on July 19, the center of storm No. 3 (Wipha) was located in the northeastern sea area of the North East Sea, at approximately 20.7 degrees North latitude - 118.4 degrees East longitude. The strongest wind near the center of the storm reached level 10 (from 89 to 102 km/h), gusting to level 12.

Storm No. 3 is moving in the West-Northwest direction at a speed of 20 km/h. The storm tends to continue to strengthen as it approaches the North East Sea. By the afternoon of July 20, Storm No. 3 will move to the West-Northwest direction, increasing its speed to 20-25 km/h and is likely to continue to strengthen (the strongest wind at sea can reach level 12, gusting to level 15). The center of Storm No. 3 is forecast to make landfall in the Northern Delta and Thanh Hoa , with winds remaining at level 8, gusting to level 10.

Storm No. 3 (Wipha) is forecast to be very strong, move quickly, have a high level of natural disaster risk, have complex developments, and have a very wide and dangerous scope and intensity of impact on the sea and land. Implementing the Prime Minister's Official Dispatch No. 112/CD-TTg dated July 19, 2025, to proactively respond to the complicated developments of Storm No. 3, minimizing damage to people and property, following Official Dispatch No. 5305/CD-BCT dated July 17, 2025, the Minister of Industry and Trade requests Heads of units in the Industry and Trade sector to focus on leading and directing drastic, timely, and effective measures to prevent and respond to storms with the highest level of responsibility and spirit under the direction of the Prime Minister and local authorities, and urgently and strictly implement the following tasks:

1. Department of Industry and Trade of provinces and cities

- Continue to strictly implement Official Dispatch No. 112/CD-TTg dated July 19, 2025 of the Prime Minister and Official Dispatch No. 5305/CD-BCT dated July 17, 2025 of the Minister of Industry and Trade.

- Directing hydropower dam owners in the area to deploy the work of protecting dams, hydropower reservoirs, and production; arranging forces, materials, machinery, and equipment to be ready to respond and overcome incidents; strictly implementing the inter-reservoir and single-reservoir operation procedures approved by competent authorities; strengthening inspection of equipment and machinery items serving the safe operation of dam works in all situations; closely coordinating with local authorities to promptly inform people in downstream areas before releasing floodwaters, especially in emergency discharge situations according to approved procedures.

- Strengthen inspection of safety assurance for mineral exploration, exploitation, processing and power grid systems in the management area.

- Direct industrial and commercial production establishments in the management area, especially those in coastal areas or areas at risk of flash floods, landslides, to have response plans to ensure safety for people and property and prepare resources, means, and materials to proactively deploy response measures to natural disasters caused by storm No. 3 and storm circulation.

- Promptly advise the Provincial People's Committee to direct investors of industrial works, especially hydropower and mineral exploitation works under construction in areas at risk of flash floods and landslides to immediately stop construction during the storm, have plans to evacuate workers, machinery, equipment and materials to safe places, and ensure smooth communication to serve incident response and search and rescue work.

- Direct local goods supply enterprises to effectively implement plans to reserve essential goods; review areas at risk of being isolated due to rain and floods to have specific plans to ensure the supply of essential goods, especially food, foodstuffs, and drinking water for people in affected areas.

2. National Electricity System and Market Operation Company

- Mobilize reasonable power sources so that the national power system operates safely and continuously, ensuring sufficient power supply for the country's economic development and people's living needs.

- Closely coordinate with units managing and operating hydroelectric reservoirs to update the actual hydrological situation, flood situation and requirements of competent authorities, ensuring power generation efficiency; plan to regulate hydroelectric reservoirs to ensure compliance with inter-reservoir and single-reservoir operating procedures and instructions of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee, Disaster Prevention and Control Command Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities.

- Coordinate with relevant units to optimize the operation mode of the power plant and grid, limit the risks of grid failures and generator failures.

3. Vietnam Electricity Group

- Direct local power units and hydropower dam owners under their management to prepare sufficient human resources, materials, means, and logistics according to the "4 on-site" principle to respond to storm No. 3 and storm circulation; strengthen inspection and self-inspection of power grid projects and hydropower dams to ensure safe and stable power supply, especially for important loads; prepare all plans to restore power as soon as possible to areas affected by storms and storm circulation.

- Direct units managing and operating hydropower projects under their management to fully implement the requirements in this Official Dispatch.

- Coordinate with the Department of Industry and Trade to direct and inspect the implementation of measures to ensure dam safety, especially for weak dams or dams under construction or repair; the operation of hydroelectric reservoirs to ensure construction safety.

4. Vietnam National Coal - Mineral Industries Group

- Direct coal and mineral mining establishments under their management, especially units in Quang Ninh province, to proactively inspect safety work, prevent landslides and flooding at mines; strengthen inspection of safety work at waste rock dumps and tailings ponds to promptly handle damage (if any)...

- Urgently organize inspections and reviews of storm response preparations at underground and open-pit mining sites, key waste dumps... proactively handle and have plans to ensure the safety of works and neighboring residential areas, especially in the event of heavy rain and floods.

5. Vietnam National Energy Industry Group

Direct units to inspect safety work and measures to prevent storm No. 3 at oil and gas projects, especially projects in the North and Central East Sea.

6. Vietnam National Petroleum Group

- Direct units to deploy disaster prevention and search and rescue plans at each facility (warehouses, ports, terminals, pipelines, petrol stations, etc.); deploy oil spill prevention measures, ensure safety for warehouses and petrol stations located in areas affected by storm No. 3 to ensure readiness to supply petrol to people.

- Direct subordinate units to coordinate with functional units to organize gasoline reserves at stores to serve natural disaster prevention work according to regulations.

7. Vietnam Chemical Group

- Direct chemical production facilities under their management in areas affected by the super typhoon to increase inspection and review of potentially unsafe locations to promptly correct defects (if any) to ensure safety for the project, and prevent incidents and chemical leaks into the environment.

8. Hydroelectric dam owners

- Strictly comply with the operating procedures of inter-reservoirs and single hydropower reservoirs approved by competent authorities, especially when unusual situations arise; operate scientifically, ensure absolute safety for the project, prevent artificial floods, contribute to flood reduction downstream, in which it is especially important to notify people early before operating flood discharge.

- Strengthen inspection and assessment of dam status, equipment, flood discharge and water intake operations, flood discharge warning systems in downstream areas, etc. and promptly correct any deficiencies (if any).

- Implement plans to ensure the safety of dams, downstream areas of reservoirs and unfinished construction works, especially key points and incidents caused by previous floods that have not been resolved; ensure timely warnings to authorities and people in downstream areas when releasing floodwaters, especially in emergency situations.

9. Mineral exploitation units

- Inspect and review waste dumps, mines, warehouses, waste dump dike systems, tailings sludge dam systems... to detect damages and defects that pose a safety risk in order to proactively handle them and have plans to ensure safety for works and neighboring residential areas, especially in the event of heavy rain and floods; carry out dredging and clearing of drainage systems to prevent flooding.

- Conduct thorough inspections of hill slopes, slopes, around and behind construction sites, warehouses, yards, and structures near slopes... to promptly detect landslide risks and prepare timely response plans and measures.

- Check and strengthen the drainage pump system, power supply system, backup generators and vehicles and materials to ensure readiness to respond to any natural disaster situation.

10. Department of Industrial Safety and Environment

- Preside over and closely monitor the developments of storm No. 3 and the disaster response implementation of units.

- Monitor and update information on natural disaster response, damage situation and recovery work of Industry and Trade units and report to the Ministry's leaders according to regulations.

- Direct units to implement disaster response measures within their authority and promptly report to the Ministry's leaders to direct and manage situations beyond their authority.

Request units in the Industry and Trade sector to regularly update information on the developments of storm No. 3 and its circulation; organize 24/7 on-duty and focus all resources according to the "4 on-site" motto to respond to storm No. 3; seriously implement the contents of this Telegram; periodically, before 3:00 p.m. every day, send reports on the results of responding to storm No. 3 to the Standing Office of PCTT & TKCN of the Ministry of Industry and Trade at the email address: [email protected].

Source: https://moit.gov.vn/tin-tuc/thong-bao/cong-dien-hoa-toc-ve-ung-pho-khan-cap-voi-bao-so-3-wipha-.html