Hydroelectric dam releases floodwaters: Must send text messages to let people know

Information about hydropower plant flood discharge must be specific and clear so that people can easily respond. It is recommended to implement a text message to all households.

The issue raised by National Assembly deputies in the question-and-answer session this morning (November 15) is that information about hydropower dams releasing floodwaters must be specific and clear so that people can easily respond. In fact, the recent floods have caused severe damage to people in the Central provinces, including the cause of hydropower dams releasing floodwaters.

Illustration photo.

Hydropower reservoir owners say that before releasing floodwaters, they notify local authorities and people at least a few hours in advance, with specific figures on the discharge volume and affected areas. But why are there places where people cannot react in time when floodwaters come?

During the recent floods, Phu Yen province had two hydroelectric plants releasing floodwaters, Song Ba Ha Hydroelectric Plant and Song Hinh Hydroelectric Plant. At one point, Song Ba Ha Hydroelectric Plant released water at a rate of over 10,000m3/second, the largest in the past 7 years. Upstream, the hydroelectric plant released floodwaters, while downstream, it rained heavily, causing prolonged flooding, cutting off traffic, paralyzing the communication system, and causing power outages... many families fell into a "dilemma".

Mr. Nguyen Van Minh, in Hoa Binh 1 Commune, Tay Hoa District, Phu Yen Province, said that the locality is located near the Ba River, so when hearing the news of flood discharge, people were very worried. Although they received information about the hydroelectric dam releasing flood water, no one knew whether their house was flooded or how much. Therefore, many families hesitated to evacuate, and when the flood water rose quickly, it was too late.

Mr. Nguyen Van Minh said: “Talking about releasing flood water at a flow rate of 5,000-10,000 m3/second, people do not know whether the water is weak or strong. Whether the water will enter their house or not, the flood release must be more specific so that people can prepare. Raising cows on the river, the river is isolated from the village, so when the water rises, the cows will drown in the river.”

Mr. Tran Huu The, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Phu Yen province, suggested that reservoir owners should develop flood maps in each locality and region corresponding to the discharge volume. Based on this map, local government leaders and functional agencies will know which areas are flooded and which are not, and proactively take precautions.

Mr. The hopes that the specialized agencies need to recalculate the affected area, the rising water level when the flood from upstream flows in addition to the rainfall in the downstream area. For the warning information work, the information should not only be through traditional means such as the local broadcasting system but also through text messages.

Mr. Tran Huu The suggested: “Based on the information reported by the hydropower plants, I propose that the information and communications sector direct and orient the network operators so that the network operators can scan their subscriber systems in the affected areas and send mass text messages to let the people know. This action is not costly but demonstrates the network operators’ responsibility at this time. If the Ba Ha River Hydropower Plant sends text messages, they should also send text messages to Viettel, VNPT and the Department of Information and Communications.”

Currently, people in the downstream areas of major rivers in the Central region receive information about hydropower plant flood discharge mainly through the commune and ward loudspeaker system. After receiving information about flood discharge, the local Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue immediately transmits that information to households through this wireless loudspeaker system. Mr. Le Tri Thanh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Nam province, said that along with strengthening the loudspeaker system, hydropower reservoir owners need to deploy the installation of flood warning systems, build flood maps and install more rain gauges in the reservoir basin and downstream areas to calculate the amount of water flowing into the reservoir and the possibility of flooding in the downstream areas.

Mr. Le Tri Thanh: “Install rain gauges and hydrometeorological stations in the province. They can be community rain gauges or rain gauges installed by lake owners in the lake and downstream of the affected area. The density is about 250 km2/station, but currently the whole province only has 17/40 stations. The installation of forecasts is very important because inaccurate forecasts will lead to inaccurate decisions, with very costly consequences.”

Recently, the project to establish a community rain gauge network implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Central provinces has increased the number of rain gauge stations. With hundreds of rain gauges placed in flooded areas and reservoirs and dams, people can access information in the fastest way. People in flooded areas can know relatively accurately the intensity of rain occurring in their area.

From there, use your mobile phone to send a text message to the Office of the Provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue so that this unit can update the measured rainfall data into the local data management and transmission program. Mr. Nguyen Van Vy, Deputy Head of the Central Highlands - Central Region Disaster Prevention Sub-Department, said that with on-site rain gauges, combined with information on flood discharge at hydroelectric reservoirs, people can know the level of flooding in downstream areas.

Mr. Nguyen Van Vy said: “With such a discharge level, people in village A, for example, know that if they discharge 3,000 m3/second, the fields will be flooded, if they discharge 5,000 m3/second, the edge of the village will be flooded, and if they discharge 10,000 m3/second, their village will be flooded up to 1 meter. The Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control coordinates with the locality to help the community visually see how much such a discharge level will help their village, their hamlet, to be flooded./.

According to VOV