From March to May, in the Northwest Region and the Northern Central Region, there were many record-breaking heat waves, compared to the same period in previous years. Until July 5, natural disasters have caused the death and loss of 46 people. It also caused 36 people to be injured and inflicted economic losses of more than 308 billion VND.
According to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, natural disasters in the coming periods will continue to have complicated and unusual developments.
The El Nino phenomenon has occurred and will continue its current status quo until 2024. The number of hot days is more than the average of many previous years and more severe compared to the same period in 2022, posing the risk of drought and saltwater intrusion, especially in the Central region.
Especially, from July to December 2023, there will be about 9 to 13 storms in the East Sea, predicted to develop complicatedly in both orbit and intensity.
Flash floods and landslides are very likely to occur in the Northern mountain provinces. On small rivers, streams, and upper reaches of rivers in the Central Region and Central Highlands, there is a possibility of large floods, flash floods and landslides.
In the Mekong Delta provinces, it is also forecasted that this year, drought and saltwater intrusion will be more severe, accompanied by subsidence, and the erosion of riverbanks and coastline.
According to the Standing Office of the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue of Hau Giang Province, in Chau Thanh district, subsidence and landslides have occurred at Can Tho Provincial Party Committee Base Relic Area, Nga La Canal, Phu Le A hamlet, Phu Tan commune. The landslide, with a length of 15 m, a depth of 5 m at the widest place, and a land loss area of nearly 75 m2, has caused the collapse of the reinforced concrete embankment.
Thus, since the beginning of this year, in Hau Giang province, there have been 58 incidents of subsidence and landslides on riverbanks and canals, with a total length of 1.420 m, and a land loss area of 8.725 m2. Compared to the same period last year, there was an increase of 42 incidents of subsidence and landslides. On July 11, in An Phu town, An Phu district (An Giang), landslides and subsidence also occurred on the northern bank of the Moi Canal, causing difficulties for the movement of people.
In the northern mountainous provinces, the rainy and hurricane season has just begun, but heavy rains and landslides have already killed four people and damaged property in the two provinces of Dien Bien and Ha Giang.
Director of the Department of Dike Management and Disaster Prevention and Control of Vietnam, Pham Duc Luan, said that to actively prevent natural disasters and minimise the loss of human and property of the State and people, the Department always actively submits strategies “early and from afar”, timely implements tasks, timely coordinates with ministries, branches and localities, to minimise the loss of humans and property, due to natural disasters.
As soon as the natural disasters phases end, the Department organizes working groups to coordinate with ministries, branches and localities, in guiding the assessment and statistics of the damages; dealing with consequences, recovering the production; promptly counselling the leaders of the Ministry to direct and urge localities to review and minimize damage, support needs, especially in terms of people's livelihood and production restoration.
The Department of Dike Management and Disaster Prevention and Control of Vietnam is always ready to organise duties seriously, closely monitor the weather situation and the evolution of natural disasters, strengthen inspection and urge safety protection for the dykes and dyke-maintenance system; promptly and accurately submit the Steering Committee to direct localities, ministries and branches to be ready to respond and overcome consequences timely and effectively; submit and direct the operation of inter-reservoirs, especially the Red River basin, to ensure the safety of the works, downstream and efficient use of water sources.
At the same time, it also supervises localities to speed up the progress of dyke repair and maintenance; prepares plans and scenarios to cope with floods, especially large floods, and adverse situations on a large scale; keeps standing, inspects and monitors the dike incidents, guide and proposes handling measures for dyke systems of grade III and higher, in the rainy and hurricane seasons.
Along with that, in the key areas where landslides occur in the Mekong Delta, the Department of Dike Management and Disaster Prevention and Control of Vietnam is speeding up inspection, urging and guiding localities to take preventive measures to prevent riverbank and coastal erosion, focusing on areas with complicated landslides; harmonious combination the structural with non-structural measures, focusing on population relocation to ensure the safety of people and property.
