Viet Nam activates highest-level response plan for Typhoon Kalmaegi

At noon on November 6, at the Forward Command Center located at the Gia Lai Provincial Military Command, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Standing Vice Chairman of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee, chaired an in-person and online meeting to urgently direct response measures to Typhoon Kalmaegi, locally known as Storm No. 13.

Earlier, the Deputy Prime Minister had visited Quy Nhon Fishing Port to inspect the mooring of fishing vessels and ensure the safety of fishermen and fisheries infrastructure ahead of the storm’s landfall.

Gia Lai is among the provinces affected by Storm No. 13. Mr. Pham Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Gia Lai Provincial People’s Committee, gave a brief report on preparedness efforts. He said the province has fully mobilized forces and equipment to help residents reinforce their homes and evacuate from high-risk areas, especially those near rivers, streams, reservoirs, and landslide-prone zones. Post-storm recovery plans have also been proactively developed to ensure the earliest possible restoration of production and stabilization of people’s livelihoods.

From 3 p.m. the same day, Gia Lai activated a level-5 storm response scenario for 16 vulnerable communes and wards, and a level-4 response for 42 communes and wards in the eastern area. Armed forces, militias, forest rangers, and the agriculture sector have been placed on the highest alert, ready to protect people’s lives and property, as well as agricultural and irrigation infrastructure across the province.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep stated that the eastern area of Gia Lai Province and Quang Ngai Province are forecast to be the most directly and severely affected by Storm No. 13. Wind speeds could reach levels 10-13, with gusts up to levels 14-15, strong enough to destroy even solid level-4 houses completely. This is considered the most powerful storm ever to make landfall in this region.

“Storm No. 13 is moving quickly and is expected to make landfall with strong intensity, potentially bringing heavy rainfall to the central region, including localities that have recently suffered severe flooding, with a level-4 disaster risk,” Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep said.

He also noted that the path of Storm No. 13 is similar to that of Typhoon Damrey in 2017 and Typhoon Molave in 2020, both of which caused hundreds of deaths and missing persons, as well as tens of trillions of dong in damages.

Meanwhile, to respond to the storm, Lieutenant General Le Quang Dao, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People’s Army, ordered all forces to remain at their assigned positions and maintain full personnel strength until the storm dissipates. No units are allowed to withdraw without authorization from the National Civil Defense Steering Committee. He emphasized that this is a scientific and decisive measure to ensure safety and enable timely rescue and response in case of emergencies.

Lieutenant General Le Quang Dao also directed that weather forecasts be updated every hour, or even every 30 minutes, and that warnings specify precise localities, such as areas likely to experience high waves or flash floods and landslides, to avoid vague information that could hinder response efforts.

He added, “Local authorities should raise public awareness so that people strengthen their survival instincts and proactively prepare essential supplies such as instant noodles, gas stoves, wood stoves, or portable alcohol stoves to maintain daily life while waiting for relief forces to arrive.”

After hearing reports from localities on their response plans to Storm No. 13, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha instructed the meteorological and hydrological agencies to monitor the storm’s developments closely, particularly the forecast of waves up to 4-5 meters high and the risk of coastal flooding caused by strong surges.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the need to clearly define the storm’s radius of impact, wind intensity, and duration of strong winds to ensure response measures are realistic and effective. The most dangerous period is forecast to be from 6 p.m. today to 8 a.m. tomorrow (November 7). Therefore, all localities must complete evacuating residents to safe shelters before 6 p.m., ensuring that 100% of people are relocated from flood-prone areas, temporary shelters, and weak level-4 houses at risk of collapse.

Local response forces, including farmers, fishermen, militias, police, and the military, must be fully mobilized, with clear identification of equipment, personnel, and material resources for each specific task.

The Deputy Prime Minister particularly noted that after the storm, there could be severe flooding and landslides. Therefore, localities must incorporate rainfall factors into their response scenarios and manage reservoirs safely and flexibly to minimize downstream flooding.

At the same time, the Deputy Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of National Defense, Viettel, and VNPT to ensure uninterrupted communication and power supply at command centers and key locations. Local authorities should prepare batteries, flashlights, and backup charging devices to maintain communication in emergency situations.

Before, during, and after the storm, military hospitals and local medical facilities must remain on 24-hour standby, especially at the commune and ward levels, to promptly provide emergency medical care to affected residents.

“I request that after this meeting, all response plans be adjusted according to the actual level of impact, under the authority of the local steering heads. If the mobilized forces fail to meet the requirements, the responsibility lies with that locality,” Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasized.