However, the increasingly extreme developments of natural disasters also pose many urgent issues that need to be addressed, and valuable lessons that need to be learned.
Record numbers
According to Deputy Director of the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention Nguyen Van Tien, in 2024, 1,340 incidents occurred nationwide, with 21 out of 22 types of natural disasters. After the first months of the year, the southern provinces experienced drought due to the impact of the El Nino phenomenon, there were strong storms, heavy rains, floods, landslides, and flash floods over a very large area in the North, with heavy rains and floods in the Central region.
In particular, storm No. 3 (Yagi) was the strongest storm in 30 years in the East Sea and the past 70 years on land. The storm circulation caused heavy rains throughout the North and Thanh Hoa, causing huge floods over a large area. Of these, historic floods appeared on seven rivers with landslides, and flash floods in most of the mountainous and midland provinces of the North, especially Lao Cai, Yen Bai, and Cao Bang provinces.
Of the natural disasters in 2024, 514 people were killed or missing, 3.04 times higher than in 2023 and 2.44 times the average of 10 years from 2014-2023, with 2,207 people injured. Economic losses are estimated at 88,748 billion VND, 9.52 times higher than in 2023 and 4.19 times the 10-year average from 2014-2023. Storms and floods alone have left 345 people dead or missing, twice the loss of life in 2023.
In addition, in 2024, several large and widespread natural disasters also occurred, such as 10 storms, one tropical depression, 233 heavy rains, floods, flash floods, landslides, 266 thunderstorms, lightning, hail, 363 landslides and droughts, saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta, 422 earthquakes, 18 strong winds at sea and 17 heat waves.
In reality, natural disasters are becoming increasingly unusual and unpredictable. Typically, extreme heavy rains caused flash floods and landslides in many places, causing huge losses in human life, especially flash floods and landslides after storm No. 3 that left 325 people dead or missing.
Among them, there were very serious flash floods and landslides, such as flash floods and mudslides on September 10 in Lang Nu (Lao Cai) that left 67 people dead or missing. Landslides on the morning of September 9 in Ca Thanh Commune, Nguyen Binh District (Cao Bang) left 31 people dead or missing.
In addition to extremely heavy rains, after storms in the northern mountainous provinces, heavy rains and floods also occurred in the central provinces after storm No. 6. In particular, the flood in Le Thuy (Quang Binh) reached 4.14m, 1.44m above alert level 3, the second highest since 1979 and only lower than the historic flood in 2020, causing widespread flooding and killing eight people.
Imprints in natural disaster prevention and control work
In the context of many changes in the natural disaster prevention apparatus, natural disaster prevention and control work encountered many difficulties. However, thanks to the attention of the leaders of the Party, State, and Government with many immediate and long-term solutions, it has contributed to reducing damage caused by natural disasters.
Responding to storm No. 3, the Prime Minister directed early and remotely; organised many direct and online meetings with ministries, branches, and localities, issued telegrams to closely direct the situation; directly inspected and assigned all Deputy Prime Ministers and several ministers and heads of sectors to directly go to key areas to inspect and direct storm and flood prevention and control.
At the same time, the Government has provided more than 1,052 tonnes of rice, 300.09 tonnes of plant seeds, 430 billion VND and rescue equipment, medical equipment, and other necessities to promptly support localities in providing relief to people.
The Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Vietnam Red Cross Society have mobilised and received cash and in-kind support worth more than 1,760 billion VND. International organisations and countries have provided cash and goods worth more than 22 million USD. Many localities across the country, organisations and individuals have directly supported localities and people affected by natural disasters to overcome difficulties.
It can be said that in dealing with natural disasters in 2024, the disaster prevention and control force has faced the most difficult situations in many years. The most stressful days were from September 9 to 11 when there was continuous information about damage and great loss of life due to flash floods and landslides in Lao Cai, Cao Bang, and Yen Bai provinces caused by storm No. 3.
From the work of preventing and fighting natural disasters in 2024, especially storm No. 3, there have been great lessons learned in organising and directing inter-sectoral coordination in preventing and fighting natural disasters related to infrastructure, and human resources.
At the same time, the long-term task is to review and adjust policies, planning, and plans, and integrate the content of natural disaster prevention and fighting into planning and development plans of sectors, and socio-economy to build a safe society against natural disasters.
According to the forecast of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, forecasting rains, floods, flash floods, and landslides is difficult not only in Vietnam but also in countries around the world.
The hydrometeorological sector has been strengthening international cooperation, using modern technologies to forecast and warn of heavy rain, flash floods, and landslides that may occur within 6 hours, or 12 hours, in districts and communes nationwide. People need to rely on forecasts and warnings from hydrometeorological agencies to take timely response measures.
Natural disasters are always unexpected and will certainly continue to develop in a complex and unpredictable manner.
Therefore, it is necessary to have the drastic, synchronous and timely participation of the entire political system, to always be ready to respond to natural disasters and to constantly strive to build a safe and sustainable community against natural disasters.
