It is necessary to enhance the prevention of floods, storms and droughts

Vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee – Ao Van Thinh awards the certificates of merit to the collectives

    In 2008, Dong Nai province was not affected by storms but the occurrence of tornadoes and of floods due to heavy rain showed complicated changes. According to the statistics of the provincial Steering Committee for flood and storm prevention, there was an occurrence of 10 tornados and 2 heavy floods in the 2002 rainy season. These tornados and floods killed 5 people and injured 12 injured, caused 195 people to move and 2,153 houses to flood, blew away the roofs of 90 houses, caused 27 houses to collapse, damaged 2,553 hectares of crops and killed 196,000 chicken and ducks and 417 cows, goats and pigs ... the total damage value was estimated at VND40 billion.

    According to the assessment of the Steering Committee for flood and storm prevention, people are neglectful of flood and storm prevention. Besides, the propaganda on the flood and storm prevention and the implementation of natural disaster prevention measures in some regions haven’t received full attention.

    According to Dong Nai Hydrometeorology Forecast Center, tornados and floods occurred in the province continue to show complicated development. There were 8 tornados in only the rainy season at the beginning of this year. There was no damage of humans but damages to houses and crops were quite large. It is predicted that the 2009 rainy season will see complicated changes and the rainfall will be approximately 10% higher than the average of many years. The storms may have greater influences.

The whole view of the summation meeting

    Delivering a speech at the meeting, Vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee – Ao Van Thinh said that tornados haven’t been prevented successfully over the past years. Warning signs haven’t been put up where flash flooding frequently occurs. The statistics of households living near the flash flooding areas hasn’t been prepared fully and the report issuance on flooding is still slow ... Therefore, Thinh proposed that committees, sectors and local governments should not have subjective views on naturally complicated happenings. Accordingly, it is necessary to hold a summation meeting on drawing experience and making plans to respond to nature timely. All the units need to strengthen the propaganda to raise the public awareness.

    On this occasion, 1 collective and 5 individuals received the certificates of merit from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, 25 collectives and 35 individuals received the certificates of merit from the provincial People’s Committee and 8 collectives and 10 individuals received the certificates of merit from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for their outstanding achievements in flood and storm prevention.

(Reported by Thu Dung, Translated by Duy Minh)