Vietnam improving landslide warning capacity

Hanoi, August 16 – Vietnam’s hydrometeorological sector has been improving the forecasting capacity to provide people in landslide-prone areas with timely warnings, said General Director of the Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration Tran Hong Thai. Recently, large-scale landslides have appeared in some Central Highland provinces, threatening the safety of residential areas, traffic works, hydroelectricity reservoirs, and irrigation works. Thai said that it is necessary to set up teams including representatives from specialised agencies to evaluate the risks and causes as well as propose solutions. He said that the Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration will coordinate with relevant units to arrange personnel to landslide-hit areas and those with high risk in the Central Highlands region in August. Regarding long-term solutions, Thai said that the agency plans to conduct large-scale studies and investigations on landslides, tube floods, and flash floods. It will also zone off risk-based areas to help the Government and localities grasp the status and risks of landslides and flash floods and then have proper socio-economic development orientations, and measures to prevent and minimise damage caused by natural disasters to people's lives and properties. From the beginning of July 2023, landslides and flash floods, riverbank and coastal erosions have caused serious damage to people's lives, properties, and public infrastructure, especially in some provinces in the Central Highlands, northern and Mekong Delta regions. Responding to the issue, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 asked ministries, localities, and agencies to continue to strictly implement Official Dispatch No. 607/CD-TTg dated July 1, 2023 on natural disasters prevention and control during the rainy season.-VNA