CaliToday (12/10/2025): HANOI, VIETNAM – Late on the evening of Sunday, October 12, 2025, Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính signed an urgent official directive, No. 196/CĐ-TTg, demanding immediate and focused action from ministries, government agencies, and provincial authorities in the Northern and North Central regions to address the severe damage inflicted by Typhoon No. 11, internationally known as Matmo.
The directive underscores the critical need to swiftly assess the widespread destruction and expedite recovery efforts, with a special emphasis placed on the nation's education sector, which has seen hundreds of schools damaged or destroyed by the storm and subsequent flooding.
Devastating Financial and Social Impact
The aftermath of Typhoon Matmo has been marked by torrential rains and catastrophic flooding, leading to staggering economic losses. Initial estimates from government bodies now place the total damages at over 8,720 billion VND (approximately $345 million USD).
The human toll is particularly visible in the nation's capital and surrounding industrial hubs. In the provinces of Hanoi and Bac Ninh, rescue operations are ongoing as nearly 11,000 homes remain submerged, displacing thousands of families and creating a challenging humanitarian situation. Critical infrastructure, including roads, power lines, and agricultural lands, has suffered extensive damage, crippling local economies.
Mobilization of Recovery Forces
In response to the crisis, the government has mobilized a significant emergency response. According to the directive, a force of nearly 400 officials and soldiers has been deployed to the most severely affected areas. These units are actively engaged in assisting residents with post-flood cleanup, repairing damaged infrastructure, and distributing essential supplies.
One of the focal points of the recovery operation is in hotspots like Trung Gia commune, located on the outskirts of Hanoi, where military personnel are working alongside local communities to clear debris and begin the arduous process of rebuilding.
Ongoing Challenges and Forecast
Compounding the difficulty of the recovery efforts, meteorological agencies have warned that the situation remains precarious. The extensive flooding in provinces such as Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh is forecasted to persist for at least another one to two days. This prolonged waterlogging poses continued risks to public health and safety and complicates the work of emergency crews attempting to reach isolated communities.
The Prime Minister's directive calls for all levels of government to remain on high alert, to ensure the safety of citizens, and to implement all necessary measures to restore normalcy as quickly and safely as possible.
