PM requests devising plans to cope with disasters

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked sectors and localities to devise plans coping with each kind of natural disasters.

During a national teleconference on the prevention and control of natural disasters and search and rescue 2020, PM Phuc lauded the entire political system for promptly engaging in the effort over the past time.

He also hailed more accurate disaster forecast that has been regularly updated.

Last year, the Government spent more than 10.3 trillion VND (447 million USD) from the central budget and other sources to support post-disaster recovery.

Thanks to sci-tech application and international cooperation, a number of solutions have been recently taken to ease drought in the Mekong Delta, he said.

In face of the complicated developments of natural disasters in the near future, the PM urged ministries, agencies and localities to fully grasp and follow the Secretariat’s Decree No.42-CT/TW on strengthening Party leadership on disaster prevention and control, as well as strengthen disaster prevention and control agencies from the central to grassroots levels, and specify responsibilities of officials and cadres in the work.

He asked for paying attention to ensuring the safety and lives of people, dyke and irrigation works, especially in the northern mountainous, central, Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta regions.

The PM called for prioritising resources from the State budget, issuing policies to improve the efficiency of the effort.

The Central Steering Committee on Disaster Prevention and Control and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development were assigned to ensure the safety of 200 dykes and irrigation works, cultivate crops adapted with disasters, ensure food supply, particularly rice to guarantee national food safety.

The National Committee on Disaster Response and Search and Rescue and the Defence Ministry were responsible for pooling equipment to cope with disasters, and hold response drills.

Since the beginning of this year, the country has suffered seven downpours and hailstorms, serious drought and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta, 11 earthquakes and landslides.

As of the late April, disasters left 11 dead and missing, destroyed and damaged more than 44,000 houses, over 100,000 ha of rice and crops. The total economic loss was estimated at over 3.1 trillion VND.

According to the National Center for Hydrometeorology Forecast, about 11-13 storms and tropical low pressure will hit the East Sea between now and the year-end, 5-6 of them will make landfall in the central and southern regions. Drought and saltwater intrusion will become more serious than in the 2015-2016 period./.