PHÒNG CHỐNG BÃO ! – Prevent storm damage – Prévention des catastrophes naturelles

In recent years, the climate and hydrological situation in Vietnam and over the world is very complicated, unusual, resulting in heavy disaster events as well as human and property loss. According to the Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control, in 2006 alone, natural disasters claimed 339 lives, 274 people missing, 2065 injured, caused the total estimated damage of 18,556 billion VND (equivalent to US$1.19 billion). In order to further implement the regulation on the notification of tropical depression, storm, flood and regulation on the notification of earthquake, tsunami warning (promulgated in accordance with the Prime Minister’s Decision No 245/2006/QD-TTg dated 27 October 2006 and Decision No. 264/QD-TTg dated 16 November 2006), ministries, sectors, localities has been conducting the following activities:

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) already directed the National Hydro-meteorological Service to change the name of the tropical depression and storm forecast bulletin to a more realistic one; increase the number of forecast reports per day and the period of forecasting from 24 to 48 hours. The content of the reports are now more concrete, and able to meet the demand of natural disaster preparedness and mitigation. MONRE also assigned the Institute of Hydro-meteorological and Environmental Sciences the following tasks: Research, make adaptation and addition to the flood warning levels on rivers nationwide for issuance at the end of 2007; Conduct 2 research projects, “Developing the flashflood map” and “Developing tsunami risk map for the coastal areas of Vietnam”, from June 2006 to June 2008. MONRE assigned the National Hydro-meteorological Service to conduct the project “Urgent investment in hydro-meteorological forecasting capacity enhancement, with the focus on storm forcasting, to serve the purpose of natural disaster preparedness and prevention”. This project, consisting of 12 components, will be implemented from 2006 to 2010. Moreover, with a view to implementing the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 16/2007/QD-TTg dated 29 Jan 2007 on the approval of national master plan on natural resources and environment observation network up to 2020, MONRE is expanding the hydro-meteorological and rainfall measuring network, raising the number of existing stations from 951 to 1898 in 2020. 

For further enhancement of the effectiveness of natural disaster forecasting communication, the Prime Minister assigned Ministry of National Defense to improve flare guns and lighting flares informing storm and tropical depression, enhancing their height and brightness when fired into the air. They are expected to be officialy used at the end of 2007 at 80 flare-firing places in the whole country. 

Since the promulgation of Prime Minister’s Regulation on the notification of tropical depression, storm, flood, and Regulation on the notification of earthquake, tsunami warning, many ministries, sectors and localities have worked in cooperation with each other to carry out the assigned duties. (Article 12, 13 and 14 of Regulation on informing tropical depression, storm, flood and Article 11, 12 of Regulation informing earthquake and tsunami). 

However, the progress is still slow and some tasks have not been fully implemented.

According to some scientists, there is a complicated tendency of natural disaster situation this year. Therefore, the active preparedness and mitigation of natural disaster requires the interest and effort of sectors, levels, organizations and individuals. Collaboration is needed in various aspects such as collecting data, issuing forecasting reports, disseminating information, organizing preparedness and prevention activities as well as reviewing lessons after each disaster event.

(Nguyễn Trung Nhân – Director of Hydro-meteorological Institute – MONRE)

See more on NDM-P Website : http://www.ccfsc.org.vn/ndm-p/default.asp