Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong has asked ministries, agencies and localities to seriously follow directions of the Secretariat, Prime Minister and head of the Central Steering Committee on Disaster Prevention and Control on response to the eighth storm and overcoming consequences of flooding in the central region. 

During a meeting in Hanoi on October 23, Cuong also asked the Border Guard High Command to work closely with the Directorate of Fisheries, fisheries surveillance forces and localities to ensure the absolute safety at sea.

Fishing vessels in danger zones were also urged to move to safe areas while localities must ensure the safety of households in areas at high risk of flash floods and landslides, especially in districts in Quang Binh.

He also noted that units concerned should work with localities to keep a close watch on the developments of storms and tropical low pressure, and monitor the safety of Ke Go lake in Ha Tinh and Ta Trach lake in Thua Thien-Hue province to mitigate loss.

Director of the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Mai Van Khiem said the eighth storm is forecast to weaken into tropical low-pressure when moving near the mainland. It will result in rainfalls from Thanh Hoa to Thua Thien-Hue from October 24-25.

According to the Office of the Central Steering Committee on Disaster Prevention and Control, as of 11am on October 23, flooding left 117 dead and 21 missing, damaged over 37,500 houses, inundated 533ha of rice and more than 3,800ha of vegetables, and washed away over 6,100 cattle and 740,000 heads of poultry.