Vice Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà has just signed Official Dispatch No. 170/CD‑TTg on September 22, 2025 from the Prime Minister’s Office, addressed to ministries, sectors and localities from Quảng Ngãi up north, instructing them to urgently and decisively implement measures to respond to Super Typhoon Ragasa.
WIND STRENGTH EQUIVALENT TO OR STRONGER THAN TYPHOON YAGI
According to the National Center for Hydro‑Meteorological Forecasting, at 7:00 AM on September 22, 2025, Typhoon Ragasa was operating in the waters east of Luzon Island (Philippines), with its center located at approximately 19.3°N latitude, 123.1°E longitude, about 200 km northeast of Luzon. Near the eye, wind strength was force 17 (super typhoon level), with gusts above that level.
Forecasts indicate that by the evening of September 22, the storm will enter the East Sea, becoming the ninth typhoon of 2025. Ragasa is predicted to maintain an extreme intensity of force 16‑17, with gusts beyond that, during September 22‑23; seas will have waves over 10 m high and be extremely rough, especially dangerous for vessels at sea.
Compared with Typhoon Yagi in 2024 — which already caused severe damage — Ragasa is assessed to have equivalent or even stronger wind strength. From September 24, the storm is likely to gradually weaken, but will still reach force 12‑14 when passing over Leizhou (China), entering the Gulf of Tonkin and possibly making landfall directly in Vietnam on September 25, in the area from Quảng Ninh to Hà Tĩnh.
The Dispatch emphasizes: this is an especially dangerous storm, with a very wide area of strong winds (from the 18th parallel northward), risk of thunderstorms even when the storm center is still 300‑400 km away. There is a high probability the storm will directly affect the mainland of Northern and North Central Vietnam, but its developments remain complex, requiring local authorities, relevant agencies, and citizens to absolutely avoid complacency.
Coastal provinces and cities from Quảng Ninh to Quảng Ngãi must mobilize the entire political system, suspend non‑essential meetings to concentrate on storm prevention and control.
Among the priorities are: reviewing, counting, and guiding vessels at sea and along the coast; informing ship owners and captains of the typhoon’s projected path; guiding safe sheltering or evacuation; depending on specific situations, restricting or prohibiting vessels from going out to sea; controlling land transport during strong winds and heavy rain to ensure public safety.
On land, including islands: reinforce houses, infrastructure, dykes; limit agricultural damage; support early harvesting under the motto “better green house than old field”.
Localities must prepare evacuation plans: review forces and means, be ready to relocate people from unsafe areas before direct impact; proactively deploy rescue and relief operations in case of adverse situations.
DECISIVE ACTION TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE
The Prime Minister assigns specific tasks to ministries:
Ministry of Agriculture and Environment: direct meteorological agencies to monitor closely, consult international forecasts; ensure early, accurate warnings; ensure safety for fishing boats, dykes, reservoirs, and agricultural production; coordinate with industry and trade to manage reservoir systems safely.
Ministry of Construction: review safety of infrastructure, maintain traffic safety; position search and rescue resources in key areas.
Ministry of Industry and Trade: ensure safety of oil & gas operations, mines, power systems; maintain supply of essential goods; prevent profiteering and unreasonable price increases.
Ministry of National Defense and Public Security: ready forces and equipment for evacuation, rescue and response operations.
Ministry of Science and Technology: ensure telecommunications infrastructure is protected; maintain smooth communication.
Ministries of Education & Training, Health: ensure safety at schools, maintain emergency medical services; restore healthcare services swiftly after the storm.
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism: protect tourists, especially in coastal, island areas.
Central media agencies: expand broadcasting of storm developments, Government/Prime Minister guidance and community preparedness.
Source: vneconomy.vn
