The week-long 2013 ASEAN Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise (ARDEX-13) wrapped up in Hanoi on October 24, seeing regional countries including Vietnam share their experience in responding to emergency disasters.

The review ceremony was co-organised by the National Committee for Search and Rescue, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA).

At the event, ASEAN members and observers hailed involved forces for their activeness and coordination in addressing the exercise’s simulated scenarios.

This is the first time Vietnam and the AHA have coordinated in holding the event, said Vu Van Tu, Chairman of the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention.

The drill also helped Vietnam review and perfect its legal framework on the prevention and mitigation of natural disasters so as to work out productive coordinating mechanisms with other countries in the region in emergency case.-VNA