Strengthening disaster prevention and control solutions when the rainy season comes

Tran Van Hoai Street (Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City) is being upgraded and expanded and needs to be speeded up and completed soon to avoid mud when the rainy season comes.

Heavy rain is coming…

According to the Southern Institute of Water Resources Research , from March 2025 to now, rain has appeared in many places in the Mekong Delta, with an average rainfall of 10-25mm, of which rain appeared in quite large amounts in the provinces of Kien Giang, An Giang, Soc Trang... Rain appearing over a large area has supplemented fresh water sources, limiting drought and saltwater intrusion in the region. However, the weather is currently in the transitional season, hot and humid, so when it rains, there is often thunder and strong winds leading to tornadoes... In Can Tho City, the Steering Committee for Civil Defense - Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue (PTDS-PCTT&TKCN) at all levels in the area has been strengthened, disaster prevention and search and rescue work has also been built in accordance with the characteristics and situation of each locality. Currently, the weather is changing seasons, localities in the area are focusing on prevention, instructing people on measures to limit the damage to roofs of houses and construction works caused by tornadoes, prevent being struck by lightning, especially limit working in open fields when it is about to rain or storm...

According to the Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue of Can Tho City, from the beginning of March 2025 until now, Can Tho City has had several unseasonal and seasonal rains, cooling down the hot air but also causing mud and flooding on some roads and alleys in Ninh Kieu District. The reason is that many roads in the area are currently being repaired, upgraded, and expanded for drainage and rainwater systems. Some of these roads have not been completed, so mud and flooding incidents occur when it rains. The Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue of Can Tho City will request the relevant authorities (project investors) to take measures to speed up the implementation progress and complete the projects soon, in order to limit the above situation when the rainy season comes. At the same time, the Steering Committee also said that the weather is currently hot and humid, so when it rains, it is often accompanied by thunder, lightning, strong winds leading to tornadoes, especially at the beginning of the rainy season...

Mr. Huynh Thanh Viet, Head of the Irrigation Sub-Department, Chief of Office of the Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue of Can Tho City, commented: The seasonal rains appearing in Can Tho City and in the Mekong Delta region have cleaned the streets, watered gardens and fields after many hot and humid days. However, this is the time of seasonal change, so the rain is often accompanied by strong winds and whirlwinds, affecting people's houses and agricultural production, and need to be prevented. In 2024, in Can Tho City, there will be 46 thunderstorms in Binh Thuy, O Mon, Thot Not, Co Do, Vinh Thanh, Thoi Lai and Phong Dien districts, killing 1 person, collapsing 28 houses, blowing off the roofs of 233 houses, causing an estimated damage of about 5,618 billion VND. Notably, in Co Do district, there was a hailstorm in Thanh Phu, Thoi Hung and Dong Hiep communes. The rain accompanied by storms caused a lot of damage to houses, crops... The Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue of the city and localities promptly mobilized forces and provided financial support to households affected by natural disasters and to overcome the consequences.

Strengthen prevention

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the rains that appear in April are transitional rains. A noticeable weather phenomenon during the transitional period is that the rainy days are alternating with hot and sunny days with sudden rains and often accompanied by tornadoes, thunder, and even waterspouts... In Can Tho City, the rainy season in 2025 is likely to start earlier than the average of many years (TBNN), appearing from April 25 to May 5, 2025 (TBNN from April 29 to May 15). In particular, from around mid-April 2025, there will be transitional rains and entering the second half of April, the southwest monsoon will gradually stabilize, and rain will appear more widely. The total rainfall in the rainy season in 2025 is about 5-15% higher than the average. In particular, in March 2025, rain will appear with total rainfall of 10-20mm, in some places 5-10mm higher than the average; in April, total rainfall will be from 50-120mm (approximately compared to the average); in May, total rainfall will be from 150-250mm (approximately and 5-15% higher than the average); in June, the rainfall reduction period will be from 200-300mm (approximately and 5-10% higher than the average); in July and August, total rainfall for each month will be from 300-400mm (5-10% higher than the average). The period of rainfall reduction in the rainy season is likely to be around the first half of September 2025. Localities need to pay attention to prevent rain, strong thunderstorms with whirlwinds and lightning in the early rainy season and after periods of rainfall reduction in the middle of the rainy season.

At this time, Can Tho City also began to strengthen propaganda work, proactively respond to heavy rains accompanied by strong winds, tornadoes, riverbank landslides... The Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue of Can Tho City requested localities to propagate and guide people to safely brace their houses, take precautions against rain accompanied by thunderstorms and tornadoes during the early rainy season and the transition of seasons; trim trees on sidewalks and near houses to avoid dangerous falling thunderstorms; check and reinforce landslide areas and areas at risk of landslides; clear sewers to limit flooding caused by heavy rains and garbage blocking drainage pits; strengthen propaganda and remind parents not to let children bathe in the rain during the first rains of the season to avoid harmful effects if acid rain occurs...

To prevent lightning strikes when it rains, when constructing civil, industrial and other infrastructure works, units and people need to arrange lightning protection equipment (lightning rods). When there is a stormy weather phenomenon (preparing to rain), people walking on the street or working in the open fields must quickly return home or find safe shelters. Absolutely do not take shelter in large groups under tall trees or in open areas, and stay away from metal objects such as iron fences, bicycles, motorbikes, electric poles, antenna poles, lightning rods, agricultural tools, etc. In particular, when there are many people, do not stand together, do not stand in places with high terrain. If you feel your hair standing on end (like the feeling of electricity when touching your hand in front of the TV), you can be struck by lightning at any time, immediately bend down and cover your ears, do not lie down on the ground or put your hands on the ground...

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc He, Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee, Deputy Head of the City's Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue, directed: "The work of natural disaster prevention, search and rescue needs to be focused on by all levels and sectors in Can Tho City at this time. At the same time, localities need to strictly implement the requirements of the City's Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue, especially proactively inspecting and reinforcing works, bracing houses, especially level 4 houses, houses with corrugated iron roofs; organizing tree trimming on sidewalks, limiting dangerous falls; not working in open fields when it rains and thunders...".

Article and photos: HA VAN

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/tang-cuong-cac-giai-phap-phong-chong-thien-tai-khi-mua-mua-den-a185387.html