To actively prevent, combat and mitigate damage caused by natural disasters

In order to proactively prevent, combat, respond in time and minimize damage caused by natural disasters, the inspection team of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Rescue and Relief has just had a field visit in Binh Duong province.

The delegation of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Rescue conducts a field inspection at the An Son dike system in Thuan An city

Paying attention to the works

The delegation went to inspect the field at 3 works in Thuan An city including Binh Hoa drainage canal system, An Son embankment dyke and Binh Nham tidal control sluice system. According to the assessment, the Binh Nham tidal sluice works were implemented to meet the local requirements in dealing with inundation for the inland area with the protected area of ​​over 200 hectares. The An Son dike project is being upgraded in terms of paving and widening the road surface to ensure circulation and develop traffic in the region. The drainage system of Binh Hoa canal makes an important contribution to the solution of water drainage for Vietnam - Singapore Industrial Park I by ensuring production stability for businesses, and creating favorable conditions for investment environment, contributing to the completion and synchronization of drainage infrastructure in Thuan An city.

According to Mr. Le Canh Dan, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in recent years, Binh Duong has not been directly affected by storms and tropical depressions. However, in the province, there are often thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding due to heavy rain, storm surge, flood discharge of national reservoirs in some low-lying areas along the river. In 2021, in the province, 21 natural disasters had occurred causing damage of about VND 54.6 billion and 3 deads. Only in the 7 months of 2022, 8 rains accompanied by thunderstorms and tornadoes had been in the province, causing property damage of about VND 1.16 billion.

After the disaster, the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Rescue and Relief at all levels, mass organizations and damaged localities urgently deployed to support people to quickly overcome the consequences, stabilize life and restore production. In 2021, the support was VND 19.33 billion, of which, support for 970 households to repair their houses and restore agricultural production have been accounted for a budget of nearly VND 1 billion; the repair of 20 natural disaster prevention and control works, purchasing equipment and equipment for natural disaster prevention and control and search and rescue with a budget of VND 18.21 billion have been extended. From the beginning of 2022, 5 households have  been offered emergency repair of natural disaster prevention and control works with a cost of VND 11,314 billion.

Proactive response

According to Mr. Le Canh Dan, natural disaster prevention and control and search and rescue are difficult and complicated tasks, requiring specialized and trained forces to handle and respond to situations. However, the cadres in charge of natural disaster prevention and control and search and rescue at all levels operate part-time, the number of staff members is small, not meeting the requirements of the tasks. Along with that, the flood map downstream of Tri An hydropower dam and Dau Tieng - Phuoc Hoa irrigation dam has not been developed and approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, making it difficult for the localit0y to develop plans to respond to emergency situations. The master plan on natural disaster prevention and control in the Southeast region has not been prepared, making it difficult to develop plans for the development of the dike system and decentralization in the province.

In order to proactively prevent, combat, promptly respond to and overcome the consequences of natural disasters, the agricultural sector has set out key tasks in the last months of the year. Continue to strictly implement legal documents on natural disaster prevention and control in the province. Improve the organization, apparatus and management and use of the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Control Fund. Drills at commune level have been organized to improve capacity of task force and people's awareness in natural disaster prevention and control.

In addition, inspect irrigation works, natural disaster prevention and control works, especially reservoirs and dikes, early detect damage, repair and reinforce in time. Training has been organized to improve the advisory capacity for officials in charge of natural disaster prevention and control in the province. Propagating and disseminating the law have been made to raise awareness for agencies, units, authorities at all levels, people and communities in preventing, responding to and overcoming consequences of natural disasters. At the same time, the implementation of duty is organized to monitor the hydro-meteorological situation, the situation of natural disasters, rain, storms, floods, high tides, saline intrusion in the province, as well as to advise and report to leaders for timely and effectively handling situations.

Mr. Duong Duc Thien, Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Finance, Chief of the Standing Office of the Commanding Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Rescue and Relief of the Ministry of Health emphasized, to take the initiative in public prevention, control and mitigation of damage caused by natural disasters, in the context of complicated epidemics, requiring the participation of the entire political system, people and businesses with the motto of taking prevention as the main approach.

Reported by Thoai Phuong – Translated by Vi Bao