According to a report presented at the meeting with the participation of more than 1,700 communes and wards, as of now, authorities have issued warnings, conducted inspections, and guided 54,300 vessels carrying a total of 227,194 people, informing them of the storm's developments and recommending routes to ensure proactive safety measures.
Coastal provinces and cities from Quang Ninh to Nghe An face potential impacts from the storm and subsequent flooding, with an estimated 148,834 hectares of aquaculture farms and 20,154 floating fish cages at risk.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasized that Typhoon Wipha is forecast to be extremely powerful, with a complex trajectory and rapid movement. However, its prolonged stalling near the mainland poses an increased risk of severe damage upon landfall.
He urged specialized agencies to provide complete and accurate information, with a clear assessment of the storm’s complexity and danger, in order to prevent complacency in preparedness efforts. Ministries, agencies, and local authorities must maintain an effective 24/7 support strategy and make timely decisions based on continuous updates from the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has instructed regional stations to publish comprehensive forecast data and to coordinate closely with local authorities to proactively implement effective response measures against the typhoon.
On the afternoon of July 20, a representative of the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention announced that the agency had sent out early text warnings to more than 35 million mobile subscribers as soon as the tropical depression formed near the East Sea and alerts regarding Typhoon Wipha and potential post-storm flooding to an additional 20 million subscribers.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep also signed an urgent directive addressed to 13 provinces and cities in Northern and North Central Vietnam, calling for immediate measures to protect the dike system amid the threat posed by the storm.
On the same day, the Ministry of Health issued an urgent directive requiring health departments in Northern and Central Vietnam, along with affiliated units, to closely monitor the progress of the storm, rainfall, and official warnings related to flash floods, landslides, and ground subsidence caused by heavy rains.
If the storm makes landfall, all relevant agencies and medical units must maintain 24/7 emergency and professional staffing to receive and treat victims of flood-related incidents and ensure that emergency medical services and treatment are not disrupted.
Also on the day, in the complicated developments of Storm Wipha, the Inland Waterway Port Authority and Waterway Vehicle Registry of Quang Ninh province issued an urgent directive suspending all departure permits for passenger vessels operating within the province. Effective July 20, all tourist boats operating to and between islands in the bay, as well as passenger ships traveling between islands, have been temporarily barred from leaving port to ensure the absolute safety of passengers, crew members, and vessels. Vessels returning to the mainland to disembark passengers are still being granted permission to dock.
