Fatalities caused by natural disaster increases by 30%

Active response to torrential rainfall

Chaired by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep on July 15, the meeting focused on the response to tropical depressions and significant rainfall.

The Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority reported at the meeting that the northern mountainous provinces experienced heavy to very heavy rain from early July to July 13. Ha Giang experienced 400 to 600mm of rainfall, while the northern plains received 100 to 200mm. On July 13, a landslide occurred on National Highway 34 in the Bac Me district of Ha Giang, resulting in 11 fatalities and 4 injuries due to heavy rainfall.

From July 15-17, the North and Central Central regions are expected to experience widespread rainfall of 70-150mm, with local areas exceeding 250mm. The northern plains and coastal areas, Central Highlands, and Southern regions will typically receive 50-100mm, with local areas exceeding 200mm.

Probably, minor streams in the rivers from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri will experience flooding, with upstream levels at alert level 1 and downstream levels at alert level 1. There is an elevated risk of flash floods, landslides in mountainous regions, and localized flooding in low-lying areas along rivers and urban areas.

Recent weather forecasts have demonstrated that short- to long-term predictions have been highly accurate. Disaster management and response will be considered successful if the present accuracy of subsequent forecasts until the end of the rainy season is maintained, as a result of proactive forecasting and reaction.

The number of fatalities caused by natural calamities has increased, although short-term forecasts are becoming more precise. The number of fatalities has increased by 30% from 52 to 68 individuals in comparison to the same period last year. This presents a significant challenge for disaster management and response.

Mr. Ngo Son Hai, the Deputy General Director of Vietnam Electricity (EVN), stated that EVN promptly issued directives for its member units to proactively prepare response plans for tropical depressions and heavy rain immediately following the central directives.

In addition, they are preparing resources, equipment, vehicles, and materials to promptly address incidents and damages caused by natural disasters in the narrowest possible time frames.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep has stated that in order to formulate effective prevention directives and solutions, a more comprehensive examination of the causes and methodologies of these accidents is necessary. The forecast suggests that Vietnam will be struck by numerous strong storms in the near future, with five to six of these storms exhibiting extreme patterns in the northern and north-central regions.

"This presents a substantial challenge for the appropriate agencies, particularly the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority, in terms of their ability to prepare and respond promptly prior to the arrival of storms." Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep stated, "This is becoming more urgent due to the potential occurrence of extreme natural phenomena, which have previously caused severe damage to the country."

Detailed plans for each locality should be provided

Urban inundation is currently a significant concern. Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep cited Da Nang as an example, where there have been two recent severe disasters. The local authorities promptly responded by conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the drainage system, with a particular emphasis on the water outlets, and an inspection of all the sewers in Da Nang. Presently, the entire system has been cleansed.

The leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development demanded that urban areas be instructed to learn from Da Nang's experience by evaluating the entire drainage system, particularly the water outlets.

Vietnam has experience in preventing landslides and flash floods in the Central and Northern mountainous regions; however, modern technology is still unable to accurately foresee the locations of flash floods. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has requested that localities conduct a thorough assessment of the risk of incidents associated with landslides, with a particular emphasis on upstream flows, by utilizing local resources and knowledge.

The authorities in Ha Giang closed National Highway 34 for a day to clear up the aftermath of the landslide that claimed the lives of 11 individuals. Nevertheless, the unfortunate incident was precipitated by an additional landslide that occurred at night while vehicles were passing through the area following the reopening.

Consequently, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep recommended that the Ministry of Transport investigate alternative methods for prohibiting or restricting the use of roads with landslide risks at night in order to offer guidance to localities and units.

Waste dumps and small reservoirs should be prioritized during the review procedure. These are high-risk points that have the potential to break, resulting in significant injury. This risk is exemplified by the recent collapse of a refuse dump in Lao Cai. In order to guarantee the safety of the community, ministries, sectors, and local authorities must collaborate to review and reinforce refuse dumps.

It is also necessary to meticulously oversee reservoir operations, ensuring that the areas affected by flood discharge receive unambiguous notifications. To guarantee the safety of the populace, notification procedures and regulations must be rigorously adhered to.

Furthermore, the rice in the Northern Delta is currently in the heading stage, necessitating the implementation of appropriate drainage measures to safeguard the crops. To prevent agricultural production from being impacted, drainage requirements must adhere to established standards.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's leadership goal is to guarantee safety while simultaneously supplying an adequate amount of water for production. To guarantee that there is no water scarcity for future production, it is imperative to meticulously evaluate water discharge.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will operate the reservoirs following a long-term plan while awaiting the conclusion of the water discharge procedures. "This implies that we may begin the process of water storage earlier to guarantee that the reservoirs are fully stocked by the conclusion of the flood season." Nevertheless, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep underscored the necessity of maintaining safety in the current situation. He requested that the affected areas be provided with explicit notifications when reservoirs discharge water.