Vietnam PM orders preparedness for typhoon Ragasa, warns of worst-case scenario

On Tuesday, PM Chinh signed an urgent telegram to ministries, agencies, and provinces from Ha Tinh northward, urging intensified preparations for Ragasa’s potential landfall.

The directive followed a forecast by the National Center for Hydro Meteorological Forecasting that Ragasa, after weakening from a super typhoon to typhoon level on Wednesday morning, would move into the Gulf of Tonkin, with winds of up to 133 kph by early Thursday.

The typhoon is expected to make landfall in northern Vietnam later that day, bringing winds of 89 to 117 kph and gusts of up to 149 kph.

The center also warned that sea waves in the northern East Vietnam Sea could surge over 10 meters, posing extreme danger to vessels, while heavy rainfall of 150–250mm may hit northern provinces and parts of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An, with some areas exceeding 400mm.

The storm may further trigger flash floods, landslides, and flooding in urban and low-lying areas, threatening dam safety.

In response, PM Chinh tasked the Minister of Agriculture and the Environment with issuing directions to ensure accurate and timely forecasts of the typhoon’s developments and impacts, so authorities and residents can prepare effectively.

He emphasized the need for provincial leaders, especially in the coastal provinces from Quang Ninh to Thanh Hoa, to focus on protecting fishing vessels, coastal and island activities, infrastructure, schools, hospitals, dikes, and dams.

Additional measures are required to protect homes, warehouses, factories, offices, schools, medical facilities, reservoirs, and business operations, especially agricultural production and aquaculture at sea and along the coast.

Local authorities are required to review evacuation plans and be ready to relocate residents before the storm makes landfall.

They must also prepare for search and rescue operations in case of severe situations.

PM Chinh also called for timely and accurate forecasts about another storm, Bualoi, which has formed east of the Philippines and is likely to enter the East Vietnam Sea in the coming days.