The central province of Quang Nam wants to work closely with the US state of Oregon and international community on community-based early warning and disaster mitigation, a senior official was speaking to the Vietnam–Oregon Initiative conference in the locality on July 6.

Disaster control and mitigation is identified as a key task, given that the province has frequently suffered droughts, floods and seawater salinisation in recent years, which caused significant human and material losses, reported Deputy Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Van Thanh.

He also voiced desire for Oregon’s support in personnel training, construction of disaster-proof facilities and storm alert stations.

Quang Nam is launching awareness campaigns about disaster prevention, raising the capacity of storm forecast, devising scenarios for evacuation from flood-prone areas and building water reservoirs.

Representatives from Oregon’s Portland University shared their relevant experience, including how to engage the public into concrete action plans to counter the effects of climate change.

The Vietnam-Oregon Initiative started off in May 2014 with the objective of building a comprehensive and effective partnership network among their individuals and organisations across the fields of search and rescue, trade, education-training and public administration.

The conference was co-hosted by Quang Nam authorities and Portland University.-VNA