Prioritize resources for resettlement projects and relocation of people from areas at risk of landslides.

On the morning of March 12, the Provincial People's Committee held a conference to summarize the work of natural disaster prevention, control and search and rescue in 2018.

Comrades Dinh Viet Hong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Deputy Head of the Provincial Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control, Hoang Nghia Hieu - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development chaired the conference. Attending were representatives of relevant departments, branches, units and individuals. Photo: Hoai Thu

Efforts to direct and overcome consequences

During the year, the Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control also coordinated, directed, and advised on many documents, reports, telegrams, and messages warning of natural disasters and flood discharge; fully updated information about natural disasters on the website of the Irrigation Sub-Department; issued 3 orders for inter-reservoir operations in the Ca River basin, 1 telegram, and 5 dispatches directing safe operation of downstream areas when releasing floods.

Also in the year, 18 delegations from the Central and the province inspected and directed the work of preventing and overcoming the consequences of storms and floods in the province. The armed forces mobilized more than 16,700 officers and soldiers, 8 ships, 90 high-speed boats, and 129 cars to reinforce coastal and mountainous districts to evacuate people, rescue and save more than 5,000 households with nearly 23,000 people, ensuring safety; rescued 203 people, brought 22 ships and boats to shore safely, and helped people rebuild and repair 136 houses.

Vinh City Public Security Police focus on cleaning up trash after the disaster. Photo: Quang An

At the conference, many delegates contributed their opinions, experiences and recommendations to improve the quality and effectiveness of PCTT-TKCN work in the province. The opinions focused on the direction and implementation of flood discharge from reservoirs and hydropower plants, including Ban Ve Hydropower Plant, to ensure safety for people during the rainy season and crop drainage, with a focus on forecasting and strict implementation of Government regulations on PCTT-TKCN work.

In addition, delegates also drew experiences and limitations in the work of PCTT-TKCN, in which they noted improving the quality of coordination, integrating contents into planning, industry development plans, socio-economic development; improving the quality of forecasting and warning work; cooperating and sharing information with the border provinces upstream of the Ca River in Laos...

Dong Dinh Viet Hong speaks at the conference. Photo: Hoai Thu

In 2018, natural disasters in Nghe An killed 10 people, left 1 missing, injured 2 people; collapsed and swept away 92 houses, severely damaged 333 houses; 833 houses had their roofs partially blown off; damaged more than 10,600 hectares of rice, more than 12,100 hectares of crops, more than 4,200 hectares of annual crops; killed or swept away 42,682 livestock and poultry; flooded more than 5,100 aquatic products; caused landslides and damage to more than 29,000 km of dikes, embankments, and river banks; caused sedimentation of more than 1,000 km of canals... estimated damage of more than 1,847 billion VND.

There were 56 accidents and incidents in the province's sea area; of which 23 were engine failures, 27 other accidents damaged 23 vehicles, sank 8 vehicles, burned 2 ships, injured 13 people, killed 12 people and left 2 people missing.

Many specific recommendations and proposals

At the conference, some opinions recommended that the Provincial People's Committee invest in projects to relocate people from affected areas in the districts of Ky Son, Tuong Duong, and Que Phong; handle landslides on the Lam River banks through Thanh Khai commune (Thanh Chuong district), Dinh Son commune (Anh Son district), Minh Tien and Chau Tien villages (Quy Chau district); repair damage on provincial roads 531B, 531C, 532 and speed up the progress of drainage projects in Vinh city, Nghi Loc, Hung Nguyen, and Cua Lo.

For the Central Government, the province also proposed to invest funds for resettlement projects for people in My Ly, Muong Ai, Muong Tip, Muong Xen communes of Ky Son district; Luong Minh, Mai Son communes of Tuong Duong; upgrade some National Highway 48 and National Highway 15A; support funding for Nghe An to implement a plan to raise community awareness and manage community-based natural disaster risks in the locality according to Decision 1002/QD-TTg dated July 13, 2009 of the Prime Minister; support the province to develop a comprehensive flood management plan for the Ca River basin and invest in increasing the density of hydrological and meteorological stations to serve early warning work.

8 collectives received Certificates of Merit from the Provincial People's Committee Chairman for their work in PCTT-TKCN in 2018. Photo: Hoai Thu

11 individuals were awarded Certificates of Merit by the Provincial People's Committee Chairman for their achievements in PCTT-TKCN in 2018. Photo: Hoai Thu

In 2018, the province proposed the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control to consider awarding Certificates of Merit to 3 groups and 5 individuals; the Provincial People's Committee awarded Certificates of Merit to 8 groups and 11 individuals with outstanding achievements in PCTT-TKCN work in 2018.

Hoai Thu