Vietnam must get ready to cope with climate change, which was forecastto bring erratic and extreme weather this year, Deputy Prime MinisterHoang Trung Hai said at a meeting to review storm and flood preventionand control in Hanoi on March 31.
Hai said morestorms and floods were expected this year which required allministries, agencies and localities to consolidate their respectivestorm and flood prevention and control committees to quickly implementthe national strategy for natural disaster prevention and mitigation by2020.
He urged ministries and agencies to conductquality examinations of rescue equipment and make replacements ifneeded, and promote communication in all localities.
Relevant authorities were asked to examine their preparations fornatural disaster prevention at all levels and co-operate with theNational Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting to facilitatetimely warnings.
The Ministry of Agriculture andRural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade would be incharge of evaluating and repairing dykes and reservoirs to minimiseflooding.
Hai also requested the Military TelecomCorporation to complete documentation on earthquakes and tsunamis forsubmission to the Government in June. The Ministry of Construction hasbeen urged to inspect earthquake-proof designs of construction projects.
Director of the National Centre forHydro-Meteorological Forecasting Pham Minh Tang said six or more stormsand low tropical pressures were forecast to strike during the rainyseason and peak water levels were expected to be higher between July andOctober than they were during the same period last year.
Locality representatives suggested that the forecasting of strongstorms and floods should be quicker and more accurate, upgrades shouldbe ordered for dyke and storm shelter constructions, and rescue effortsshould be improved.
Figures from the CentralSteering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control showedthat unexpected weather had caused serious losses last year. Naturaldisasters killed 273 people; 96 are still listed as missing and 491 wereinjured. More than 6,000 houses collapsed and more than 300,000ha ofcrops were inundated. Total losses were estimated to reach more than 16trillion VND (768 million USD)./.
Hai said morestorms and floods were expected this year which required allministries, agencies and localities to consolidate their respectivestorm and flood prevention and control committees to quickly implementthe national strategy for natural disaster prevention and mitigation by2020.
He urged ministries and agencies to conductquality examinations of rescue equipment and make replacements ifneeded, and promote communication in all localities.
Relevant authorities were asked to examine their preparations fornatural disaster prevention at all levels and co-operate with theNational Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting to facilitatetimely warnings.
The Ministry of Agriculture andRural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade would be incharge of evaluating and repairing dykes and reservoirs to minimiseflooding.
Hai also requested the Military TelecomCorporation to complete documentation on earthquakes and tsunamis forsubmission to the Government in June. The Ministry of Construction hasbeen urged to inspect earthquake-proof designs of construction projects.
Director of the National Centre forHydro-Meteorological Forecasting Pham Minh Tang said six or more stormsand low tropical pressures were forecast to strike during the rainyseason and peak water levels were expected to be higher between July andOctober than they were during the same period last year.
Locality representatives suggested that the forecasting of strongstorms and floods should be quicker and more accurate, upgrades shouldbe ordered for dyke and storm shelter constructions, and rescue effortsshould be improved.
Figures from the CentralSteering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control showedthat unexpected weather had caused serious losses last year. Naturaldisasters killed 273 people; 96 are still listed as missing and 491 wereinjured. More than 6,000 houses collapsed and more than 300,000ha ofcrops were inundated. Total losses were estimated to reach more than 16trillion VND (768 million USD)./.
