That was the request of Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee at the first meeting of the Steering Committee, which took place on the afternoon of July 24.
The Prime Minister chaired the meeting at the main bridge, the Government Office . Photo: VPG
The meeting took place online from the Government headquarters to 34 provinces and cities and more than 3,300 communes and wards nationwide. Attending were Deputy Heads of the Committee: Politburo member, Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang; Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and leaders of ministries, branches and localities.
In Hanoi, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen attended the conference at the bridge point of the City People's Committee headquarters.
At the meeting, Minister and Head of the Government Office Tran Van Son announced the Prime Minister's decision to reorganize three Steering Committees (National Civil Defense Steering Committee, National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, National Committee for Incident Response, Natural Disasters and Search and Rescue) into the National Civil Defense Steering Committee.
In the first 7 months of the year, natural disasters killed more than 100 people.
The report at the conference stated that in 2024, natural disasters will be fierce with 10 storms, 1 tropical depression, hundreds of heavy rains, thunderstorms, hail, earthquakes, severe cold, drought, and saltwater intrusion. The total damage caused by natural disasters will amount to more than 91,600 billion VND, leaving 519 people dead or missing. Storm No. 3 (Yagi) alone is considered the strongest in the past 30 years in the East Sea, causing unprecedented floods, deeply affecting all regions.
Since the beginning of 2025, natural disasters have continued to have an extreme and irregular trend. As of July 23, the country has experienced many heavy rains, floods, thunderstorms, landslides, storms and tropical depressions, causing severe damage in the northern mountainous provinces and the North Central region. There have been 114 deaths and missing people; economic damage of more than 553 billion VND.
At the conference, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment warned that in the remaining 5 months of 2025, the East Sea is likely to see 3-5 storms or tropical depressions; heavy rains continue to occur in the North, North Central, Central Highlands and South; there is a high risk of flash floods, landslides, and localized flooding, especially in mountainous areas and low-lying urban areas. Some areas may be affected by major floods and late floods on major river systems.
Speaking at the conference, leaders of the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Construction, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and localities affirmed that they have been seriously implementing the direction of the Central Party Secretariat and the Prime Minister, considering natural disaster prevention and control, ensuring the safety of people's lives and property as a regular task... The military and police forces have proactively deployed many timely and effective response measures, promoting their frontline role in natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue...
To reduce losses from natural disasters, ministries, sectors and localities have proposed to the Government many important solutions, close to the reality of the two-level local government model. In particular, the provinces of Nghe An, Lao Cai, Thai Binh... have proposed that the central government support upgrading reservoirs, anti-erosion embankments, building safe evacuation points and enhancing training in disaster prevention and control skills for commune-level forces in the new government model.
Vice Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen chaired an online meeting at the bridge point of the city People's Committee headquarters. Photo: Kim Nhue
In Hanoi, in the context of operating the new apparatus, the city still maintains the "4 on-site" principles, not leaving responsibilities vacant or interrupting command in disaster prevention and control. Up to now, 100% of communes and wards in the area have completed the Commune Civil Defense Command Committee, developed response plans according to each risk level, and assigned specific tasks to each force. Up to now, the city has fully updated data on key locations of disaster prevention and control, means, materials and forces...
"3 musts", "6 clears" - the foundation of civil defense
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested that we absolutely not be subjective or negligent in the face of natural disasters. Photo: VPG
Speaking at the meeting, on behalf of General Secretary To Lam and leaders of the Party and State, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent his deepest condolences to the relatives and families of the victims who died or went missing in the sinking of the Vinh Xanh 58 ship in Ha Long and the recent storm No. 3.
Sharing the losses and damages in mountainous communes of Nghe An province that are isolated due to heavy floods, the Prime Minister said that on the morning of July 24, the Ministry of National Defense dispatched helicopters to supply food to the people. Previously, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh went directly to the area to inspect and direct the response work...
Praising the efforts and pointing out the limitations in the work of natural disaster prevention and control in the recent past, the Prime Minister requested that in the new context, the organization and implementation of natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue tasks must ensure "6 clear": clear people, clear work, clear time, clear responsibility, clear authority and clear results. It is necessary to strongly shift from passive response to proactive prevention early and from afar. This is an urgent requirement to adapt to the new situation, minimizing damage to people and property.
The head of the Government pointed out the “3 musts” in civil defense: Prevention before an incident occurs; response must be calm, timely, appropriate, and effective; overcoming consequences must involve the participation of all people, the whole nation, and all forces. Commune and ward leaders need to grasp the plan, implement the “4 on-site” motto well, proactively check materials and dumping sites, and be ready to respond to landslides and isolation situations.
The Head of Government requested the Ministry of National Defense to direct forces to strictly maintain civil defense readiness at all levels, not to be passive and surprised by any situation; coordinate propaganda on civil defense; deploy the 112 Call Center System to serve the reception and processing of information on incidents and disasters to ensure smooth, uninterrupted communication...
The Ministry of Public Security shall preside over and coordinate with relevant ministries, branches and localities in responding to major fire disasters in urban areas, industrial parks and residential areas; coordinate the organization of forces and means to be ready to respond to incidents and disasters according to regulations; study the plots and tricks of hostile and opposing forces taking advantage of incidents and disasters to incite sabotage.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment shall preside over and coordinate with ministries, branches and localities to implement measures to mitigate the consequences of natural disasters in accordance with the provisions of law on natural disaster prevention and control; provide emergency relief to subjects affected by incidents, natural disasters and catastrophes; preside over hydrometeorological forecasting and warning work; perform tasks according to the inter-reservoir operation process in river basins; direct and organize the development of documents, instructions, training, dissemination and communication information via social networking platforms, raise public awareness of natural disaster prevention and control, civil defense, etc.
The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Health to be responsible for announcing and informing about the epidemic situation, the level of impact and measures to prevent and control the epidemic. The Ministry of Finance shall preside over and coordinate the establishment of the Civil Defense Fund, balance the budget and allocate it for investment and development projects in the field of civil defense. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall preside over and coordinate with relevant ministries, agencies and units to find effective solutions to enhance the application of science and technology in civil defense; news agencies and newspapers, with the core being Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, and Vietnam News Agency, shall do a good job of information and propaganda work on civil defense, and coordinate in developing projects on this work...
Requiring that the Chairman of the People's Committee of provinces and cities must be a "commander on the battlefield", fully responsible to the Government, the Prime Minister and the people for civil defense work, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pointed out that the authorities of communes, wards, towns and special zones are "fortresses", the front line that determines success or failure. Therefore, the commune level must build an on-site shock force; develop an evacuation plan "clear to every roof"; transmit the earliest and most understandable warnings so that people can proactively prevent, respond and overcome the consequences; proactively provide on-site logistics; organize patrols, guards and enforcement when necessary...
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“We must act more decisively, in accordance with principles, and with clarity in each step. Above all, the people must be the center, the subject, and the driving force in civil defense.”
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh
Noting the need to strengthen coordination between levels, ministries, branches, agencies, units and international cooperation in civil defense; emphasizing that protecting the safety of people's lives and property is the highest command, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pointed out that only the leadership of the Party, the management and operation of the State, the participation of the entire political system, the Fatherland Front and organizations are not enough, but the people must take the lead in civil defense work; believing that in the coming time, in addition to protecting the lives and property of people, businesses, and the State, the whole country will effectively operate the two-level local government, achieving the growth target of 8.3-8.5% this year and double digits in the following years so that the whole country can enter a new era of wealth, civilization and prosperity.
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/thu-tuong-pham-minh-chinh-moi-xa-phuong-phai-la-phao-dai-phong-thu-dan-su-710291.html
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