Hundreds of old people in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang and surrounding areas joined a meeting in My Tho city on October 13 in response to the International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR).

Tien Giang is one of the three localities in the country (together with central Da Nang city and Thanh Hoa province) selected to celebrate the event, which recognises the vital role of the elderly in implementing the National Strategy for Natural Disaster Prevention, Response and Mitigation towards 2020.

The weather now becomes more and more complicated and unpredictable, particularly in the Mekong River lower section, said Bui Quang Huy, an official from the Natural Disaster Prevention Centre under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, at the meeting.

He stressed the need to build policies and a legal framework encouraging the elderly to share experience in climate change adaptation as they are among the most vulnerable to natural diasters.

Director of Save the Children in Japan Ayka Arai underlined the coordination between sectors, localities and international organisations in raising public awareness of the issue.

With a coastline of 32km, Tien Giang has always grappled with floods, droughts and seawater intrusions, according to Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Van Nghia.

Given the fact, the provincial authorities have focused on improving infrastructure and building early warning systems, while including the disaster risk control in the local socio-economic development plans, he added.-VNA