As dawn broke over Thanh Hoa province on October 20, 2025, a sense of urgency permeated the air. The cause? Typhoon No. 12—internationally known as Fengshen—had entered the East Sea, prompting a flurry of activity from provincial and national authorities tasked with disaster prevention and emergency response. According to the National Hydro-Meteorological Forecast Center, at 5:00 AM, the storm’s progress was being closely monitored, its center tracked at 15.2°N latitude and 119.7°E longitude just the previous afternoon. With wind speeds reaching level 9 and gusts up to level 11, forecasts warned of further intensification as the typhoon moved northwest.
Responding swiftly, the Provincial Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control of Thanh Hoa issued Official Dispatch No. 30/CD-PTDS on October 19. The directive, as reported by Bao Thanh Hoa, was clear: all relevant departments, military and police chiefs, border guards, and leaders of coastal communes and wards were to mobilize urgently. Their mission? To proactively prepare for the typhoon’s potential impact and to safeguard both lives and property in the region.
These orders weren’t issued in isolation. They echoed the guidance of Official Dispatch No. 18/CD-BCĐ-BNNMT from the National Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention, which also emphasized the need for a coordinated, proactive response. The message was unambiguous: every layer of local government, every relevant agency, and every vessel operator needed to be on high alert.
The measures outlined were comprehensive and, frankly, left little room for ambiguity. First and foremost, authorities were instructed to monitor the typhoon’s evolution with laser-like focus. This meant not just watching weather updates, but actively controlling and accounting for every vessel considering departure from port. Inspections and notifications to ship owners and captains became mandatory, with the goal of ensuring that no one inadvertently sailed into harm’s way. The dangerous area for the next 24 hours was specifically defined as north of latitude 15.2-20.5N and east of longitude 113.5E—a region to be updated as forecasts evolved.
But the response went beyond just keeping boats in harbor. Preparedness for rescue operations was emphasized, with rescue forces and equipment readied for rapid deployment should the need arise. Local media, including Thanh Hoa Radio and Television and the coastal information station, were tasked with ramping up their coverage. Their job? To keep vessel operators, local authorities, and residents up to speed with the latest developments, so everyone could take timely action.
As Truyen Hinh Thanh Hoa highlighted, the Meteorological and Hydrological Station of the province was put on high alert, responsible for close monitoring, forecasting, and issuing timely warnings. The goal was to ensure that information flowed quickly and efficiently to those who needed it most. Departments and agencies with state management functions were ordered to actively direct and coordinate with localities, ensuring a unified response across the board. Duty teams were established to maintain regular reporting to the Provincial Disaster Prevention Command Office—no one wanted to be caught off guard.
These instructions were not just bureaucratic exercises; they reflected the hard lessons learned from previous storms. Just days earlier, the province had received support from businesses and individuals both within and outside Thanh Hoa to help victims of Typhoon No. 10 and the subsequent floods. The memory of those losses was still fresh, fueling a determination not to repeat past mistakes.
The broader community was also mobilized. On October 18, the Women’s Union of Hac Thanh ward held its congress for the 2025-2030 term, a reminder of the role civic groups play in disaster response and recovery. The same day, the provincial Fatherland Front received donations to aid storm and flood victims, underscoring the importance of solidarity in times of crisis. Meanwhile, veterans’ associations in Giao An and Ha Trung set ambitious targets for the coming years, including poverty reduction and economic development—goals that take on new urgency in the face of natural disasters.
Even as the typhoon loomed, the machinery of government continued to turn. On October 18, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a national conference on public investment promotion, connecting 34 provinces and cities via direct and online sessions. Attendees included key provincial leaders such as Nguyen Hoai Anh, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, and Dau Thanh Tung, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee. While the focus was on economic development, the backdrop of typhoon preparations was a stark reminder of the challenges facing the region.
Back on the front lines of disaster prevention, the instructions to local authorities and agencies were detailed and practical. According to the official guidance, they were to “closely monitor typhoon developments, control vessels leaving ports, organize inspections and notifications to ship owners and captains about typhoon position and movement to avoid dangerous areas, prepare rescue forces and equipment, and enhance communication of typhoon information to local authorities and residents.” The Meteorological and Hydrological Station was specifically tasked with “tight monitoring, forecasting, warning, and timely information dissemination for proactive response.”
The emphasis on communication was particularly striking. Local media outlets were told to “increase information about the typhoon’s developments to all levels of government, vessel owners, and the public so they could proactively prevent and respond.” This wasn’t just about sounding alarms—it was about making sure everyone, from fishermen to local officials, had the information they needed to make smart decisions.
Coordination was another key theme. Departments and agencies were required to “actively direct and coordinate with localities in response efforts,” ensuring that no community was left to fend for itself. Regular duty teams were to “report to the Provincial Disaster Prevention Command Office,” maintaining a steady flow of information and accountability.
As the hours ticked by, the sense of vigilance only grew. The typhoon’s path and intensity remained subjects of constant scrutiny, with authorities ready to adjust their plans as new data came in. The hope, of course, was that all these preparations would prove unnecessary—that the typhoon would veer away, sparing the province from its worst effects. But no one was willing to take that chance.
In Thanh Hoa, as in so many coastal regions, the rhythm of daily life is often disrupted by nature’s unpredictability. Yet, as this latest response shows, the community is anything but unprepared. Through coordinated action, clear communication, and a shared sense of responsibility, the people of Thanh Hoa are once again bracing themselves—ready to face whatever the storm brings.