Kien Giang to provide aid to households affected by natural disasters hinh anh 1A sea dyke in Kien Giang (Photo: VNA)
 
Kien Giang (VNA) - The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang has earmarked 680 million VND (29,300 USD) to provide relief for households affected by natural disasters in five districts so far this year.

It plans to provide 4.5 million VND (200 USD) each to households in which someone was killed in a natural disaster and 1.5 million VND if someone was injured.

The province will provide 2.4-6 million VND (105-260 USD) to 76 families whose houses were flattened and 500,000-2 million VND (21-260 USD) to 136 households who lost their roof.

Natural disasters have killed one person and injured two this year. Heavy rains and strong winds destroyed, inundated or blew the roof off 632 houses.

They have damaged thousands of hectares of rice and other crops. Strong winds sank 11 boats at sea.

Strong waves and high tides have eroded coastal dykes, especially in the west in An Minh district’s Van Khanh Tay commune.

In all, natural disasters have caused estimated losses of 11.5 billion VND (500,000 USD), according to the provincial People’s Committee.

The province, the country’s largest rice producer, is expected to have unpredictable weather and suffer from more natural disasters during the rest of the year.

Lam Minh Thanh, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, has ordered local authorities to review and complete their plans to cope with natural disasters and carry out search and rescue activities.  

They should step up public propagation of measures to combat natural disasters, he said.

The People’s Committee has instructed relevant authorities to check storm shelters for boats for safety and move people living in disaster-prone areas, especially landslides, to safer areas.  

It instructed the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Agriculture and Rural Development Project Management Board to complete disbursement of 120 billion VND (5.2 million USD) allotted by the Government for urgent erosion prevention works this month and speed up the work.

It instructed the Department of Transport and Traffic Safety Board to step up safety inspections of waterway transport facilities, especially sea transport and transport of people between the mainland and islands./.
VNA