Hanoi, Oct. 29 -- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired an urgent meeting early on October 29 to direct response and recovery efforts in the face of severe and widespread flooding in central localities.

The meeting was held in person at the Government headquarters in Hanoi and connected online with the frontline command centre based in Hue city. Deputy PM Tran Hong Ha attended the meeting from Hue, together with leaders of ministries, agencies, and affected localities.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the historic floods have submerged 32 out of 40 communes and wards in Hue, impacting 35,000 households, while Da Nang has seen over 75,000 households inundated. Hydropower reservoirs have been operated to reduce f...