Natural disaster forecasts should be tailored to specific locations instead of large areas, Nguyen Van Khanh, vice chairman of the People’s Committee of the northern province of Yen Bai has said.
Floodwater flows in Mu Cang Chai town in the northern province of Yen Bai at the beginning of August (Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Naturaldisaster forecasts should be tailored to specific locations instead of largeareas, Nguyen Van Khanh, vice chairman of the People’s Committee of thenorthern province of Yen Bai has said.
About 10,800 people died orwent missing due to natural disasters in Vietnam in the last 20 years,resulting in an average annual loss of 20 trillion VND (880 million USD) inGDP. The statistics were disclosed by the Vietnam Disaster Management Authorityunder the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) at a conferenceon natural disaster prevention on October 3 in Hanoi.
A 40 trillion VND (1.76billion USD) loss was incurred by natural disasters last year, said Tran QuangHoai, director of the agency. Financial losses due to natural disasters sincethe beginning of this year had reached almost half this amount, he added.
Vietnam is one of thecountries most affected by natural disasters and climate change. The countryexperienced 20 out of 21 types of the world’s disasters last year. The only oneVietnam didn’t suffer was a tsunami.
Hoai said that his agencywould soon be carrying out a large-scale disaster prevention programme from thenorthern mountainous region to the central Ha Tinh province, with a focus onflood and landslide prevention.
Speaking at the conference,Nguyen Van Khanh, vice chairman of the People’s Committee of the northernprovince of Yen Bai, requested authorities improve the precision of naturaldisaster forecasts.
“Large-scale forecasts makeit difficult for grassroots authorities to identify the disaster-prone spotsand carry out preventive measures,” he said. “Rainfall, flood and landslideforecasts should be tailored to specific locations in a province, a districtinstead of a whole large area.”.
Junichiro Kurokawa,director general of the Japanese Department for River Management and NaturalDisaster Prevention, said that apart from upgrading infrastructure andconstruction to withstand disaster, it is crucial to constantly gatherinformation on the water levels of rivers and conditions of dams.
A strong collaborationmechanism for natural disaster preventionand reaction must be established between the Central SteeringCommittee for Natural DisasterPrevention and Control, the Committee for Ethnic Minorities, and the Steering Committee forthe Northwestern Region, said Deputy Agriculture Minister Hoang VanThang.
Restructuring residentialareas, improving citizens’ livelihoods and growing protective forests shouldalso be a focus of local authorities, he said.-VNA
The Prime Minister’s decisions on establishing the Directorate for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and the Water Resources Directorate were announced in Hanoi on August 16.
About 200 officials from 21 APEC member economies have gathered in central Nghe An province to seek measures to strengthen affiliation in dealing with disaster risks.
Child-centred disaster risk reduction is among effective measures to protect children, one of the most vulnerable groups to natural disasters, said a UNICEF official.
As many as 33 wards and communes in central provinces will be assisted to combat natural disasters under the second phase of a project funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Mariam Sherman, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, said the World Bank remains committed to working with the Vietnamese government to develop the next phase of climate resilience and transformation for the Mekong Delta.
Under the directive, the PM instructed relevant agencies to regularly inspect, supervise and proactively implement disaster prevention, response and rescue measures in line with their assigned roles and mandates, ensuring readiness, avoiding passivity or delays, and maintaining operational continuity amid ongoing political and administrative restructuring at levels.
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Saigon Hi-Tech Park’s ambitious 50% renewable energy goal far exceeds the city’s 15% target, positioning the park as a trailblazing “living lab” for sustainable energy solutions.
Vietnam's economic losses from natural disasters are estimated to account for 1 to 1.5% of GDP annually - a steep price that will continue to rise unless the country takes strong action.
Wutip, the first storm in the East Sea so far this year, has wreaked havoc across central Vietnam, claiming lives, displacing residents, and causing widespread damage to houses, crops, and infrastructure, the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention and Control reported as of 6:30 pm on June 13.
The tremor occurred at 7:39:46 am (Hanoi time), with the epicentre located at latitude 14.924°N and longitude 108.236°E, at a depth of approximately 8.1 kilometres. The natural disaster risk level was classified as 0 – the lowest on the scale.
Addressing a session on “Accelerating Financing for Resilience: Tailored Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction,” Deputy Minister Hiep emphasised Vietnam's proposal in building sustainable financing in response to natural disasters, which aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction's goals.
Vietnam has demonstrated its strong commitments by participating in global sustainable development forums, signing multiple free trade agreements, and attracting support from international partners for the implementation of the SDGs.
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Lang Son Global Geopark, with its outstanding geological values, cultural heritage, and unique natural landscapes, represents a valuable addition to UNESCO’s global geoparks system.
In 2019, Quang Ninh became one of the first localities in Vietnam to launch a province-wide campaign against plastic waste, mobilising the participation of the political system, the business sector, and the general public. Other localities—such as Hai Phong, Da Nang, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City—have also effectively implemented waste-sorting initiatives at source, along with models for plastic-free markets and urban areas.
This year’s World Oceans Day on June 8 is themed 'Wonderful Oceans: Sustaining What Sustains Us', while World Environment Day is on June 5 with the theme: 'Beat Plastic Pollution'.
According to Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment Le Huu Toan, a fire prevention and control plan has been in place since the dry season began, including round-the-clock patrols and rapid-response teams to snuff out fires before they could spread.
Renowned artists including Ha Anh Tuan, Den Vau, and Phan Manh Quynh, along with many directors and attendees, took part in planting hundreds of rare tree species such as mun (Diospyros mun) and cho chi (Parashorea chinensis) in the Thung Bong area of the Cuc Phuong National Park, contributing to forest ecosystem restoration.
Floodwater flows in Mu Cang Chai town in the northern province of Yen Bai at the beginning of August (Source: VNA)
