Proactively prevent flash floods in mountainous districts

(Baonghean.vn) - In response to the development of storm Haiyan, the districts of Nghia Dan, Quy Hop, and Que Phong are proactively implementing response work and evacuating households along rivers and streams to prevent possible flash floods.

Immediately after the online meeting with the Provincial People's Committee, the Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and ControlNghia Dan districturgently convened members of the district's Flood and Storm Prevention and Control Committee to discuss measures to respond to typhoon Haiyan. This is considered the strongest storm in history, likely to make landfall in the Central region on the evening of November 9 and the morning of November 10. After the meeting, members of the Nghia Dan District Flood and Storm Prevention and Control Committee urged and directed the assigned localities to immediately deploy storm prevention and control work. At the same time, the district sent an urgent telegram to localities and units across the district to strictly implement the developed flood and storm prevention plan, avoiding complacency and negligence, leading to unfortunate consequences.

In Nghia Dan area, there are 130 large and small dams and most of them are in a state of degradation, some are at risk of breaking at any time if heavy rains and floods come. The district has directed the reservoir management units to release spillways before heavy rains bring water. For reservoirs at high risk of breaking such as Cay Da (Nghia Trung), Yen Trung (Nghia Lam)..., the spillways are widened, staff are assigned to be on duty and adequate materials are prepared in case of bad situations. For reservoirs under construction such as Khe Yen (Nghia Lam), the unit has temporarily stopped construction and cut off 24/24 hour staff.

Song Sao Lake will discharge floodwaters from one spillway on November 9.

As for Song Sao Lake, the water level has now reached 75.50m, nearly equal to the normal water level. With a capacity of 51 million m3, Song Sao Lake is the second largest reservoir in our province, after Vuc Mau Lake. To proactively respond when the storm makes landfall, the amount of rain will be high combined with water flowing from upstream, from the afternoon of November 8, Phu Quy One Member Co., Ltd. has sent a flood discharge notice to the District Flood Control Committee, communes and units in the district. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Giap, Deputy Director of the company, said: Due to the impact of the storm, there will be heavy rain in the next few days. From this afternoon, the company decided to start releasing flood from 1 spillway at 8:00 a.m. on November 9. Depending on the water level in the lake and the weather, the discharge volume will be decided. If 1 spillway is released, the flow will be 120 m3/s.

Faced with that situation, the District People's Committee and the Nghia Dan District Flood and Storm Prevention Committee planned to evacuate about 30 households with 100 people to a safe place. Mr. Le Trung Tam, Head of the Agriculture Department, Deputy Head of the District Flood and Storm Prevention Committee, said: Immediately after the meeting, the District Flood and Storm Prevention Committee requested Nghia Binh localities to evacuate households at risk of flooding when Song Sao reservoir discharges floodwater; requested Nghia Khanh commune to evacuate more than 10 households along Sai stream and households in Nghia Khanh commune to a safe place. This work must be completed before 7:00 p.m. on November 9.

In addition to preparing the “4 on-site” motto, the District directed people, localities, and units to trim branches, brace houses, and move assets to higher ground. For projects under construction, they will temporarily stop, brace electric poles, check, and assign people to be on duty at intersections and tea bridges with high risk of flooding. When it rains heavily, people will be banned from crossing the river at Nghia Thinh – Nghia Khanh ferry route.

In Quy Hop district, the response to typhoon Haiyan was also actively deployed by the district's Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention. Immediately after the online meeting with the provincial Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention, the district Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention held a meeting and sent an urgent dispatch to localities about the situation and forecast of the direction of typhoon No. 13. In addition, it requested localities to quickly deploy measures with the motto of being proactive and positive. After the meeting ended, members of the district's Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention went directly to the assigned localities to urge and direct the timely implementation of the work.

Currently, in Quy Hop district, there are more than 150 large and small lakes and dams. Most of these lakes and dams were built a long time ago, made of earth, so they are degraded and always at high risk of breaking. Specifically, some lakes: Cay Dua (Dong Hop), Hoi Xom (Chau Cuong), Khe Rieng (Nghia Xuan) are in a weak state. The district has directed localities to release overflows from full lakes and prepare materials to respond to incidents. The district's Flood and Storm Prevention and Control Steering Committee has prepared adequate means and forces for timely rescue. Infrastructure projects under construction have been temporarily suspended.

Mr. Hoang Van Thai, Head of the Agriculture Department, Deputy Head of the District Flood and Storm Prevention and Control Committee, said: The biggest concern when the storm makes landfall in the district is flash floods. To ensure the safety of people's lives, the district has requested localities: Chau Quang, Chau Thai, Chau Hong, Chau Loc, Nam Son, Bac Son... to widely disseminate information to people about the developments and severity of the storm. For households located along rivers and streams, based on the flood and storm prevention plans that have been developed, people will be evacuated to safe places when there is heavy rain. Schools across the district will have students off on November 11 and if there is heavy rain, they will continue to have school off on November 12.

Pham Bang

Que Phong:

Responding to the world's strongest storm, after absorbing the spirit at the online conference to discuss measures to respond to super typhoon Haiyan (storm No. 14) of the Provincial People's Committee, right after the online conference ended, the People's Committee of Que Phong district met to discuss plans with the District Steering Committee - PCBL to proactively prevent natural disasters. The district identified landslide-prone areas in Tri Le, Quang Phong, Thong Thu, and flash flood-prone areas such as Nam Giai and Cam Muon. On the afternoon of November 8, 5/13 PCLB members of the district went to key communes to coordinate with local authorities to propagate and direct response; warn people passing through landslide areas, and mobilize people to tie down their houses. It is known that Que Phong has over 600 households in areas at risk of flash floods and landslides when storms and rains come.

Quy Chau:

In Quy Chau district, on the afternoon of November 8, the Flood and Storm Prevention and Control Committee held a meeting to propose plans, solutions and assign tasks to each member. Such as assigning members to communes at risk of landslides in Chau Hoan, Dien Lam, Chau Phong communes... to coordinate with local authorities to propagate warnings to prohibit people from passing through during storms. Forces: police, army, on the afternoon of November 8 sent officers and soldiers to villages at risk of flooding such as Chau Hanh, Chau Thang, Chau Tien communes to coordinate with commune authorities to propagate people to prepare belongings, people and property, buffaloes and cows to evacuate when there are signs of threat; directing communes to prepare materials such as bamboo stakes, sand, and stones to prevent road sections from being eroded and cut off by floods.

Van Truong