At the launch ceremony (Photo: VNA) The ceremony was linked with63 hydro-meteorological centres nationwide, drawing officials from ministries, sectors,localities, scientists in the fields of meteorology, marine hydrology, climate change,natural disaster prevention and control, and marine search and rescue, and representativesfrom embassies and international organisations.
Addressing the ceremony, DeputyMinister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh recognisedthe major contributions of the hydro-meteorological sector in natural disaster preventionand mitigation, socio-economic development, and the safeguarding of national defenceand people’s safety.
He said the theme of World MeteorologicalDay 2021 aims to highlight the link between the ocean, the climate, and the weather in the earth system.
The Deputy Minister noted thatas understanding about oceans remains limited, the UN has launched the Decade ofOcean Science for Sustainable Development in the 2021-2030 period.
He expressed his hope that relevantagencies will continue to coordinate with the hydro-meteorological sector and supportit in issuing alerts to serve natural disaster prevention and mitigation.
Thanh affirmed that as a memberof the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Vietnam will coordinate closelywith relevant parties to promote oceanic monitoring and researching activities,contributing to implementing the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Developmentgoals of “safe ocean”, “predicted ocean”, and “transparent ocean”.
At a workshop following the ceremony,head of the VMHA Tran Hong Thai said that hydrological forecasting, including oceanographicforecasting, plays an important role in helping ministries, sectors, and localitiesadjust their socio-economic activities and crop farming, as well as in preparingpreventive measures to minimise the impact of natural disasters.
He said that two new weatherradar stations will be built, in Phu Lien in northern Hai Phong city and Vinh cityin central Nghe An province, to increase hydro-meteorological forecasting capacity.Meanwhile, the entire weather radar system will be upgraded to cover the mainlandand marine areas, including the Truong Sa archipelago and Phu Quoc Island, thusmonitoring the development of storms.
Deputy head of the Central SteeringCommittee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and head of the Vietnam DisasterManagement Authority Tran Quang Hoai said that accurate and timely forecastingof weather conditions at sea helps fishermen avoid losses in property and humanlife, thus helping people secure stable livelihoods.
Forecasting activities also helpthe committee as well as search and rescue, the marine police force, and ministries,sectors, and localities give active directions to minimise risks from natural disasters,he said./.
VNA
