One strategy, numerous efforts for the target of natural disaster prevention and control

VND3,400 billion damage caused by natural disasters

According to the VDMA under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), since the beginning of 2021, Vietnam has been affected by 8 storms and tropical depressions, 325 thunderstorms and hail, 6 floods, and 128 earthquakes.

It can be said that natural disasters in 2021 occurred not as extremely or anomalous as in 2020, but constantly and rapidly. Especially, from mid-September to November, the central region had been affected by 4 consecutive storms of No. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 6 with heavy floods.

Along with the Covid-19 pandemic’s complicated developments, natural disasters have seriously affected human lives and production, especially in the central region.

In 11 months, natural disasters had caused 93 deaths and missing, completely destroying 277 houses, damaging 8,913 with floods affecting over 27,000 others. About  131,2 ha of rice and crops were submerged and damaged with 11,826 ha of industrial trees and fruit trees destroyed. Some 125,687 cattle and poultry were killed or missing and 3,300 ha of aquaculture were damaged. In addition, 113km of embankments, canals, and dykes were eroded due to landslides which also impacted 47km of coastline and rivers and 203km of roads and North-South railway. A total of 1.4 million cubic meters of soil and rock were estimated to have fallen during the landslides and about 99 bridges and 147 water sewages were damaged or washed away... The total economic damage is estimated at over VND3,400 billion.

Strategy concretized by many actions and solutions

On March 17, 2021, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 379/QD-TTg, approving the NSNDPC by 2030, with a vision to 2050.

Accordingly, the VDMA has advised in disseminating and popularizing the Strategy's content in the media; presenting it at the Conference on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control in the northern mountainous region. It has consulted the National Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control to issue guiding documents for ministries, agencies, and People's Committees of provinces and cities to set up implementation plans. The VDMA has also built an undertaking plan and supervision framework for the MARD in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the Strategy. At the same time, it has urged and summarized ministries and local authorities’ reports on implementation results of the Strategy in 2021.

With its goals and tasks set out along with common and detailed solutions for each region, in 2021, the VDMA has undertaken many measures to concretize implementation of the Strategy.

Specifically, it has reviewed completed, and promulgated legal documents on natural disaster prevention and control, of which it has issued 2 Decrees, 3 Circulars, and 2 Prime Minister’s Decisions.

It has strengthened the work of directing and commanding agencies on natural disaster prevention and control at all levels according to Decree 66/2021/ND-CP (replacing Decree No. 160/2018/ND-CP).

The Steering Committee, ministries, and local authorities have reviewed and updated scenarios and plans to cope with natural disasters in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Prime Minister has issued 2 documents and instructions on evacuating people out of the hit areas ensuring their safety.

The VDMA has also focused on enhancing digital transformation, technology application, and shift from offline to online in directing localities to deal with natural disasters.

It has consolidated and improved the operational efficiency of the task forces for natural disaster prevention and control at the commune level according to Directive 18/CT-TTg dated July 29, 2021 of the Prime Minister; The Steering Committee has issued documents for localities to organize training for this force (Decision No. 15/QD-TTWPCTT dated July 23, 2021).

It continues to operate the disaster prevention and control fund at the provincial level and establish one at the central level according to Decree No. 78/2021/ND-CP.

At the same time, it organizes assessment of natural disaster prevention and control at the provincial level following a set of indicators approved by the Steering Committee in early 2021, coordinates with media agencies to organize communication and raise public awareness under Project 553, which has just been approved by the Prime Minister in early 2021.

In addition, it focuses on implementing Directive 42-CT/TW of the Secretariat, Resolution No. 76/NQ-CP, and other directing documents on natural disaster prevention and control.