Early action needed to respond to natural disasters
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Hai, Head of the Department of Natural Disaster Response and Overcoming - Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in 2023, our country experienced over 1,100 natural disasters, causing 166 deaths and missing people, with economic losses estimated at about 8,236 billion VND.
Among them, some major natural disasters with serious consequences focused on types of natural disasters such as heavy rain causing floods and landslides: landslide at Bao Loc Pass (Lam Dong) buried 3 soldiers and 1 civilian; landslide in Da Lat City (Lam Dong) killed 2 people, injured 5 people; heavy rain caused flash floods in Sa Pa Town and Bat Xat District (Lao Cai) killing 9 people; 3 heavy rains in the Central region from mid-October to mid-November killed 14 people, left missing...
Since the beginning of the year, natural disasters have left 166 people dead and missing, with economic losses estimated at VND8,236 billion.
Faced with the unusual and extreme nature of natural disasters, the Government, the Prime Minister, and the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control have directed ministries, branches, and localities to resolutely and promptly deploy response solutions.
Mr. Hai assessed that in the major natural disasters in 2023, localities proactively responded early and from afar, contributing to minimizing damage. However, in some places, people were still subjective, underestimating the impact and danger of natural disasters, so there were unfortunate human losses when passing through overflows, deep flooded streams, fast-flowing water and being swept away, children drowned, boats capsized...
Mr. Hai emphasized: "It is necessary to act early to respond to natural disasters. This is reflected in being prepared with activities to develop and implement plans for natural disaster prevention and control, response plans for different levels of natural disaster risks; preparing forces, materials, means and organizing drills according to approved plans; issuing early disaster forecasts and warnings and informing local authorities and people to proactively respond."
Overcoming difficulties in flash flood and landslide warning
Attending the program, Mr. Hoang Phuc Lam, Deputy Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF), said: In 2023, Vietnam is affected by El Nino, so there are few storms. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 8 storms and tropical depressions (5 storms, 3 tropical depressions).
The heat wave is severe, with temperatures reaching 44.2 degrees Celsius in some places. Meanwhile, heavy rains occurred in the Central region, especially in the provinces and cities of Thua Thien - Hue, Da Nang and Quang Nam with rainfall of over 800mm, and in some places over 1000mm. "Heavy rains cause flash floods and landslides. According to statistics from the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, up to now, 35 provinces and cities have been affected by flash floods and landslides. Flash flood and landslide warnings are still facing many difficulties," said Mr. Hoang Phuc Lam.
In 2022, Vietnam received the Southeast Asia Flash Flood Warning Support System (SEAFFGS). This is the first flash flood warning support system using ultra-short-range forecast data and integrating a large number of different data sources. Vietnam's data has been integrated into the system, including rainfall estimates from 10 radars, and more than 1,500 automatic rainfall stations, Nowcasting rainfall forecast products, and numerical rainfall forecast products from the WRF model have been applied as warning support tools.
However, the Southeast Asia Flash Flood Warning Support System cannot yet support the forecasting of specific locations of flash floods and landslides. It can only support forecasters in analyzing and warning of rainfall thresholds that cause flash floods for each sub-basin within 1 hour, 3 hours, 6 hours and is regularly updated at corresponding intervals; landslide risk areas in the next 24 hours with an update frequency of 6 hours/time, etc.
In 2023, the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting will synchronously deploy a number of different solutions to increase the level of detail of flash flood and landslide warning bulletins, focusing on applying new and modern technologies to determine more detailed rainfall thresholds. In addition, the resolution of quantitative rainfall forecasts has been increased to 1-3 km, using assimilation of multiple data sources to create rainfall maps such as observation data, radar, and digital models to identify areas with heavy rainfall centers to serve flash flood and landslide warnings.
The flash flood risk warning map is processed by combining information layers on flash flood and landslide risks, rainfall thresholds and especially information on population, economy, etc., which have been added to create a flash flood and landslide risk warning map to support forecasting work.
Currently, the Real-time Flash Flood and Landslide Warning Information System is being incorporated into operational forecasting, continuing to improve and enhance the quality of warnings. The reference website is provided online at: http://luquetsatlo.nchmf.gov.vn.
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