Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on December 22 attended the inauguration ceremony of the resettlement area projects in three villages of the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai which had been severely affected by flash floods and landslides caused by Typhoon Yagi in early September.

The ceremony was held in-person at the reconstructed residential area in Lang Nu village in Phuc Khanh commune of Bao Yen district, and virtually connected to the new resettlement areas in Nam Tong village in Nam Luc commune, and Kho Vang village in Coc Lau commune, both in Bac Ha district.

Typhoon Yagi hit Vietnam’s mainland in September, causing severe human and asset losses in the northern region. In Lao Cai alone, the typhoon left 139 dead, 12 missing, and 88 injured, and caused an estimated economic damage of 7 trillion VND (275 million USD). Particularly in the villages of Lang Nu, Nam Tong and Kho Vang, flash floods left 84 dead and missing, while dozens of houses were buried or washed away.

Following the directives and appeals from the Party and State's leaders, particularly from PM Chinh, the entire nation and international friends have joined hands to address the aftermath of the typhoon, including the reconstruction of the residential areas in the three villages.

Expressing his delight at attending the inauguration ceremony, PM Chinh recalled that immediately after the flood passed, Party and State leaders visited the affected areas to encourage local people, and inspect and direct efforts to address the consequences of the disaster. Among these efforts, PM Chinh outlined seven groups of tasks and solutions for post-disaster recovery, and also set a deadline requiring the reconstruction of residential areas in the three villages to be completed by December 31, 2024.

Just 10 days after the disaster, thanks to the determined efforts of the entire political system and the support of sponsoring organisations, work started on reconstruction projects in Lao Cai province, including the three residential areas of Lang Nu, Nam Tong and Kho Vang. In addition to housing for residents, essential facilities such as schools, community houses, and technical infrastructure have been built as well.

Appreciating the completion of the projects ahead of the required deadline, the Government leader acknowledged, commended, and expressed gratitude for the efforts of the Party committees and local authorities of Lao Cai, as well as the contributions, support, and cooperation of various agencies, units, localities, individuals, and forces, particularly the Vietnam People's Army (VPA). This achievement is especially meaningful as it coincides with the VPA’s 80th founding anniversary (December 22, 1944-2024) and the 35th All-People Defence Festival (December 22, 1989-2024).

With the principle of settlement ensuring prosperity, the PM stressed that in the coming time, the entire nation in general, and Lao Cai in particular, should continue to address the consequences of natural disasters, with focus on ensuring that affected residents can soon stabilise their lives and resume production.

Specifically, in Lang Nu village, alongside allocating agricultural land, it is necessary to design and construct a dam to transform the stream into a manmade lake, as it will not only enhance the landscape but also provide a resource for aquaculture development.

The PM expressed his belief that these villages will become exemplary communities and happy villages in the future.

He took this occasion to task the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment with urgently submitting a proposal to the Government on preventing landslides and flash floods in mountainous and midland areas of the northern and central regions to ensure the safety and stability of these regions.

In particular, Lao Cai must complete the eradication of 11,000 temporary and dilapidated houses in the province by December 31, 2025, he stressed.

On this occasion, PM Chinh presented the token of 150 houses to impoverished households living in temporary or dilapidated homes in the province, sponsored by the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group, Sovico Group, and other units. He also granted 200 bicycles, 200 gift sets and 200 sets of clothes to children in the locality./.