Bad weather conditions wreak havoc on many localities
Downpours, gales, whirlwinds, and lightning have wreaked havoc on many localities from May 19 - 21, including four deaths.
Workers wade through floodwater at the Giao Long Industrial Park in Chau Thanh district, Ben Tre province, due to heavy rains during May 20 night and early May 21. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Downpours, gales, whirlwinds, and lightning have wreaked havoc on many localities from May 19 - 21, including four deaths.
As of 5pm on May 21, four were killed by lightning, comprising two in central Thanh Hoa province, one in northern Thai Binh province, and another in the Mekong Delta province of Long An.
Gales and whirlwinds unroofed 19 houses in Nghi Son township and the districts of Ba Thuoc, Quan Hoa, and Nong Cong while devastating more than 900ha of crops in Thanh Hoa province.
In the south-central province of Binh Thuan, heavy rains during May 20 night and early May 21 triggered a flood of sand and mud from a nearby hill onto Huynh Thuc Khang and Nguyen Dinh Chieu roads in Phan Thiet city, burying a large number of motorbikes and cars, a restaurant, and a house.
Incessant rains at the same time also inundated Giao Long Industrial Park in Chau Thanh district in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre, subsequently leading to traffic congestion in front of the zone.
In Ho Chi Minh City, downpours for hours on late May 20 also seriously flooded many streets like Kha Van Can, To Ngoc Van, Quoc Huong, Le Van Viet, Duong Dinh Hoi, and Tay Hoa, forcing local residents to wade through floodwater during the rush hour.
To respond to such situations in the time ahead, the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control asked provinces and cities nationwide to stay updated with disaster forecasts and warnings to ready response plans. Those in the Mekong Delta were also told to take proactive moves to cope with saltwater intrusion.
ꦚ Localities were requested to regularly send reports to the National Steering Committee’s Standing Office and the Office of the National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response, Search and Rescue./.
More than 1,100 natural disasters have taken place across Vietnam this year, heard a conference held by the office of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control in Hanoi on December 22.
Seeing disaster preparedness as a strategic mission, the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS) has focused on early action to respond to disasters, VRCS Central Committee Vice President and General Secretary Nguyen Hai Anh said at a workshop held in the central city of Da Nang on May 9.
Diversifying communications methods to enhance public awareness of natural disaster prevention and control, and ensuring accurate and timely forecast are among solutions to minimise damage caused by natural disasters, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang said while chairing a national conference on natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue in 2024 held in Hanoi on May 10.
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.
According to Dr. Vu Anh Tuan, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Space Centre and head of the project, this is the first study in Vietnam to simultaneously employ Sentinel-2 satellite data, advanced machine learning algorithms, and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud computing platform to model and monitor key seawater quality parameters.
The Deposit Return System is seen as a potential instrument for effectively advancing Vietnam’s vision of a circular economy, as outlined in Article 142 of the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection.
The figures were highlighted in a Pre-Feasibility Study on a DRS tailored for single-use beverage packaging in Vietnam, conducted by Eunomia Research & Consulting.
Young people should not view AI as salvation but rather as a tool under human control. Young creators should focus on learning and accumulating practical knowledge, using AI as a tool to carry out artistic projects in the most effective and cost-efficient manner.
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.
The fight against plastic pollution could not succeed through isolated efforts, but it must be a collective endeavour involving the entire political system, businesses, citizens, and the international community, said Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy.
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.
