Natural disaster warning maps proposed after Typhoon Yagi

A house at risk of landslides in Sơn La Province after Typhoon Yagi. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed establishing natural disaster warning maps after assessing results of the response to Typhoon Yagi.

It also proposed building flash flood and landslide protection systems in risk-prone areas as well as automatic flash flood warning stations.

According to the ministry, Typhoon Yagi and its subsequent floods and landslides have caused such severe damage to people, businesses and agricultural production that it is impossible to tally.

There were many shortcomings in the response to Typhoon Yagi, said the ministry, adding that warnings of damage risks due to storms and floods were not specific. People were not made fully aware of the huge potential for damage when the typhoon made landfall or of the devastation afterwards, resulting in negligent behaviour.

Some people did not seriously follow authorities’ instructions and recommendations in preventing or controlling damage from the typhoon, leading to tragic human losses.

Forecasting and giving early warnings that are accurate and specific, especially warnings about rain, floods, flash floods and landslides, play an important role in responding to natural disasters, according to the ministry.

Maps have never been made to highlight landslide and flash flood risks for every village and hamlet for public awareness and for relocation, resettlement or response purposes.

The operation of inter-reservoirs in the Hồng (Red) - Thái Bình river basin has some shortcomings in terms of flood season and regulations on early water storage, leading to the flood control capacity of reservoirs not meeting the requirements of flood reduction for downstream areas.

The ministry proposed strengthening forecasting and warnings to minimise damage caused by flash floods and landslides.

It proposed improving the quality of quantitative rainfall forecasting for flash flood and landslide warnings and making disaster warning maps, especially detailed flash flood and landslide risk zoning maps, down to the village and hamlet level.

The ministry recommended upgrading river and sea dikes to ensure they can withstand extremely strong storms and historic river floods.

In a related move, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development suggested the Government issue a resolution on supporting farmers to recover production as Typhoon Yagi devastated the livestock, fishery and poultry sectors, Deputy Minister Phùng Đức Tiến said.

Tiến said farming households across the nation lost tens to hundreds of billions of Vietnamese đồng due to the typhoon, highlighting the large investment in livestock and fishery farming systems.

The deputy minister would have meetings with localities, enterprises and business associations on support measures regarding breeding animals, production materials and animal food, among other topics.

Tiến added that the ministry had proposed the Government extend debt payment deadlines, provide specific assistance for typhoon-hit businesses, cooperatives and households, and handle insurance issues so that production can be recovered at the earliest to ensure a sufficient supply of food for the upcoming Tết (Lunar New Year) Festival.

According to Tiến, Typhoon Yagi and its subsequent downpours and floods cost the fishery sector some VNĐ2.5 trillion (US$101.7 million), and the livestock sector around VNĐ2 trillion. The Ministry of Planning and Investment estimated agricultural growth might decrease by 0.33 per cent this year.