On the afternoon of September 22 in the capital city of Hanoi, the National Civil Defense Steering Committee held an emergency working session to debate response measures for the approaching super typhoon.
At the working session, Mr. Mai Van Khiem, Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, reported that by the evening of September 22, super typhoon Ragasa was located just tens of kilometers from Luzon Island, the Philippines.
Near the storm’s center, sustained winds reached “maximum typhoon force” of category 17 (equivalent to 202–221 kilometers per hour), with gusts exceeding this level. The typhoon is moving primarily west-northwest and has accelerated to 20–25 kilometers per hour, faster than previous forecasts.
The Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting added that most international meteorological agencies have issued alerts classifying Ragasa as a violent typhoon, stronger than typhoon Yagi in September 2024.
Early precautionary measures
As reported by the Border Guard Command, by 4 p.m. on September 22, coastal border forces had accounted for and notified 54,058 vessels carrying 215,743 personnel at sea about the approaching super typhoon. Currently, no vessels are reported within the storm’s impact area.
In port areas from Quang Ninh to Khanh Hoa, 874 ships are currently operating. Provinces from Quang Ninh to Hue now have 161,354 hectares of aquaculture, 31,812 fish cages and 3,875 guard huts in need of protection.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment reported that in the Northern region, nearly 146,000 hectares of rice are ripe, while in the North Central region, over 128,000 hectares of rice remain unharvested. Vegetables, fruits and industrial crops are also in their harvest period
Additionally, the Northern and North Central regions are home to 37 million livestock and 559 million poultry, all of which require protection as strong winds from the typhoon approach landfall.
According to the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, major hydropower reservoirs in the Red River basin, such as Son La, Hoa Binh, Tuyen Quang and Thac Ba, currently have a flood mitigation capacity of nearly 2.2 billion cubic meters.
However, many irrigation reservoirs in the Northern and North Central regions are at 80–90 percent of their designed capacity, with hundreds of reservoirs either damaged or under construction, posing potential safety risks.
Along the sea dikes from Quang Ninh to Hue, there are 62 critical points, many of which are still under construction. These structures are designed to withstand typhoons of category 9–10, posing a vulnerable risk if force winds exceed this level.
Mr. Pham Duc Luan, Head of the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention, noted that local authorities must update weather-related situations and proactively implement response measures although the typhoon may weaken after passing the Leizhou Peninsula, China.
Up to now, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Education and Training have issued sector-specific emergency directives for super typhoon preparedness.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also sent diplomatic letters proposing countries in the region to assist Vietnamese vessels in seeking safe shelter.
Presiding over the working session, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep emphasized that this is a very powerful, fast-moving typhoon heading toward Vietnam’s mainland. He urged local authorities to deploy coordinated and decisive measures, anticipate worst-case scenarios, and ensure the safety of lives and property.
The National Defense Steering Committee has directed the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention to maintain a 24/7 duty schedule and to send approximately 7.8 million warning and response messages to the public via the social media platform Zalo.
The military mobilizes over 300,000 personnel
Major General Pham Hai Chau, Deputy Director of the Rescue and Relief Department under the Ministry of National Defense, reported that units in the typhoon-prone areas are ready with response plans
More than 300,000 militia and self-defense personnel, along with 8,000 vehicles and six aircraft, are prepared to assist in emergency operations if needed. The Ministry of National Defense has directed the Border Guard Command along coastal areas to urgently issue warnings and track the typhoon’s path.
Up to now, forces have contacted, accounted for and instructed over 54,000 vessels and more than 200,000 fishermen on the storm’s trajectory to ensure safe shelter.
Hai Phong and Quang Ninh urgently take action against typhoon Ragasa
On the afternoon of September 22, Chairman of the Hai Phong City People’s Committee Le Ngoc Chau instructed all departments, agencies and local authorities to remain alert and take all necessary measures to proactively prevent and address damage from the typhoon, floods and heavy rains.
Particularly, authorities should remain alert to thunderstorms, cyclones and lightning that could cause harm before the storm’s direct impact, along with continuous monitoring of the typhoon’s developments.
In Quang Ninh, the Provincial Party Committee issued an official directive on the evening of September 22, calling on party organizations, local authorities, the Fatherland Front, political-social organizations and relevant departments to regularly monitor and update information on the typhoon. This ensures proactive and appropriate response measures are implemented according to the storm’s evolving conditions at agencies, units and localities.
Authorities take strict action against those attempting to profit from natural disasters
On the evening of September 22, the Ministry of Public Security sent a dispatch to local and provincial police units regarding preparations for super typhoon Ragasa.
Authorities have been tasked to guide traffic, set up warning signs and ensure safe traffic; strictly control movement of people and vehicles through low-lying areas, flooded zones, landslide-prone locations, or areas at risk of collapse. Officials are to prevent travel when safety cannot be guaranteed.
The Ministry of Public Security also consulted on proposals of restricting or closing sea roads, bridges, ferries and cross-river transport, and to limit traffic where necessary.
Authorities are urged to promptly detect and strictly handle acts attempting to profit from natural disasters, particularly theft, hoarding, price gouging, or spreading false information online that may affect disaster prevention and response efforts.
