Improving disaster response capacity

From the beginning of 2023 until now, our country has had 2 storms and 1 tropical depression in the East Sea region.

Kien Giang was not directly affected by the storm, but was affected by the storm's circulation, causing thunderstorms, strong winds, heavy rain over a large area, tornadoes in many places, and rough seas. The above extreme weather patterns caused considerable damage to people, property, production, and people's lives.

The natural disaster killed 1 person, injured 18 people, collapsed 142 houses, blew off the roofs of 317 houses, and sank 12 boats and ships. Thunderstorms and tornadoes knocked down many trees in districts and cities; caused localized flooding on some inner-city roads in Rach Gia City, Phu Quoc City, and rural roads in U Minh Thuong District.

Regarding production losses, natural disasters have temporarily flooded and knocked down more than 15,500 hectares of summer-autumn rice and 17,571 hectares of autumn-winter rice. The total estimated damage to date is about 16 billion VND.

Thematic conference on natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue and implementation of the master plan to respond to drought and salinity in the period 2023-2025 on the morning of August 10.

According to forecasts from meteorological and hydrological agencies, natural disasters in the last months of 2023 will be complicated and unpredictable; storms and tropical depressions are likely to appear frequently and may affect the southern East Sea in the last months of the year. The El Nino phenomenon has a strong impact from the 2023-2024 dry season, so drought, water shortage, and saltwater intrusion are at high risk of occurring on a large scale, lasting from the 2023-2024 dry season to 2025.

To proactively prevent, combat and effectively respond to all types of natural disasters, minimize damage, protect lives and stabilize people's lives, Chairman of Kien Giang Provincial People's Committee Lam Minh Thanh directed departments, branches and localities to continue to synchronously implement the contents of the plan for natural disaster prevention and control and search and rescue for the period 2021-2025 and the project for preventing coastal and riverbank landslides for the period 2021-2025 and orientation to 2030 in Kien Giang province.

Chairman of Kien Giang Provincial People's Committee Lam Minh Thanh requested the command committees for natural disaster prevention, search and rescue and civil defense of districts and cities to regularly monitor and update forecasts of natural disaster prevention and control plans, response plans to natural disasters... Improve the capacity and effectiveness of the commune-level natural disaster prevention and control shock team.

Propose that the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development direct the acceleration of construction progress, soon complete construction works, maintenance and repair of irrigation works, domestic water supply, especially in areas at high risk of drought, salinity intrusion and island areas.

Storm No. 2 caused heavy damage to people and property in Kien Giang province.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Lam Minh Thanh requested the Department of Finance to coordinate with relevant departments, branches and localities to advise and propose the Provincial People's Committee to prioritize balancing and allocating resources to proactively respond to drought and salinity intrusion in the period of 2023-2025 in the province according to regulations.

The Provincial Management Board of Investment and Construction of Agricultural and Rural Development Projects speeds up the construction of T3 - Hoa Dien sluice gate and lock (Kien Luong); Vam Ba Lich sluice gate and lock (Chau Thanh), the remaining sluice gates on the An Bien and An Minh sea dykes and the power system for operation, to ensure salt prevention, fresh water retention, protection of production and rural domestic water for localities in the region.

It is recommended that the People's Committees of districts and cities proactively allocate resources, increase investment in equipment and support tools for the force working on natural disaster prevention and control from local budgets, ensuring that they meet the requirements of natural disaster prevention and control and search and rescue in the coming time.

Early implementation of training to raise community awareness and community-based disaster risk management and commune-level disaster prevention, control and search and rescue drills according to the 2023 plan, to improve the capacity of local authorities to manage and respond to natural disasters according to the 4-on-the-spot motto and promote people's self-awareness in disaster prevention, control and search and rescue.

Localities with large areas often flooded by high tides, floods, and heavy rains must urgently survey and upgrade dykes and embankments to ensure they are above alert level 2 and develop a system of pumping stations to prevent flooding and regulate water for production, ensuring safety and minimizing damage caused by natural disasters.

News and photos: THUY TRANG

Source: https://baokiengiang.vn/thoi-su/nang-cao-nang-luc-ung-pho-thien-tai-16102.html