Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Projects toprepare for natural disasters and respond to climate change will be furtherenhanced this year, according to instructions from the National Committee forNatural Calamity Prevention.

The General Department of Natural Calamity Prevention has been asked to speedup the progress of construction and implementation of strategies and projectssuch as the national disaster prevention plan; the overall scheme to preventriver and coastal erosion around the country and the Mekong Delta region; theoverall project of natural disaster prevention and control in the northernmountainous, central and Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) regions; a project ofresidential relocation for disaster-hit areas, and the project to build theNational Disaster Prevention and Control Centre.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong, who is head ofthe National Committee on Natural Calamity Prevention, has asked the generaldepartment to improve the capacity to cope with natural disasters, with a focuson examining and evaluating the current conditions of dyke systems before therainy and flood season as well as setting up response plans and boosting dykemaintenance.

Inspection and handling of violations of legal regulations on dyke protectionand sand and gravel exploitation must be further accelerated this year toensure safety.

The general department needs to closely monitor the operation of reservoirs on11 river basins across the country, especially the Hong (Red) and Thai Binh Rivers,so as to ensure safety for downstream areas, according to Cuong.

It is necessary to build up support tools and databases for operation such asstorm and tropical low pressure maps; electronic databases on disasterprevention along river areas; and real-time calculation of flood and sea levelrises.

Round-the-clock weather and natural calamity monitoring must be performed toprovide immediate response measures if incidents occur.

In terms of the application of science and technology and international cooperation,Cuong instructed the general department to set up a comprehensive database ofnatural disaster prevention to share with relevant agencies and the community,and to carry out online monitoring of key projects and critical locations andvulnerable areas via cameras and remote sensing equipment.

The general department should promote the application of science and technologyin the construction of natural disaster prevention and control projects such aslandslide prevention, dyke reinforcement, and flash flood prevention, and pilotinstallation of automatic warning systems for flash floods and landslides insome mountainous provinces.

International cooperation in natural disaster prevention and fund mobilisationfrom domestic and foreign sources for emergency response and disasterprevention needed enhancing, the minister said.

According to him, improvement of community awareness on natural calamitypreparedness and community-based risk management is an important task.

It is necessary to set up a communication strategy for this year includingproviding materials that are attractive and easy to understand for people,especially those from ethnic minority groups and those in remote areas.

Last year, natural calamities occurred across the country with 13 storms and 14severe flash floods and landslides, reported online newspaper baotintuc.vn.

The natural disasters cost up to 20 trillion VND (862 million USD) and caused218 deaths.

In 2018, the general department compiled some laws and legal documents relatingto dyke protection and natural disaster prevention.

As per the general department’s suggestion, the Government provided 1.5trillion VND (64.7 million USD) to the programme of sustainable development forthe Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta region with climate change adaptation.

The general department also proposed an investment of 36 million USD funded bythe World Bank and Asian Development Bank to carry out two projects of riverand coastal erosion prevention, and drawing out maps of river and coastalerosion in the Mekong Delta region.

The general department also submitted a draft of the national strategy fornatural disaster prevention by 2030; a master plan of emergency evacuation, andflash flood and landslide prevention; a master plan on natural disasterprevention in the northern mountainous, the central and Central Highlandsregions; a project on improving national capacity for natural disasterprevention; and adjustment for the project on community awareness raising andcommunity-based disaster risk management.-VNS/VNA