Deputy Head of the Central Steering Committee - General Director of the VNDMA- Mr. Tran Quang Hoai chaired the meeting
The meeting was chaired by Deputy Chairman of the Central Steering Committee - General Director of VNDMA- Mr. Tran Quang Hoai and representatives of some related units under VNDMAt; representatives of Office of National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue; Steering Committee of Ministry of Industry and Trade; Vietnam NSM Power Company; General Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, National Centre for Hydro - Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF); some relevant agencies.
At the meeting, Mr. Le Minh Nhat, Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Disaster Response and Recovery reported the situation of natural disasters and risks of heavy rains and floods in the North, difficulties and challenges in the direction and management of natural disaster prevention and control. According to a report from the beginning of 2020, there have been many extreme natural disasters in the Northern mountainous area with 08 phases (101 cases) of thunderstorms accompanied by hail on a large scale, causing 19 deaths and damaging 56,908 houses and crops and property of the people; 04 earthquakes and especially heavy floods occurred on the night of 23 April - morning of 24 April, causing 03 deaths and missing in Phong Tho district, Lai Chau province. The report also presents a number of risks when heavy rains and floods occur in the area: Flash floods, serious landslides that can occur in mountainous provinces; The risk of unsafe hydropower reservoirs, irrigation systems and dike systems.
Mr. Le Minh Nhat, Deputy Director General of the Department of Natural Disaster Response and Recovery reported the situation of natural disasters and risks of heavy rains and floods in the North
Mr. Mai Van Khiem, Director of NCHMF, commented on the possibility effect of large floods on Chinese territory to Vietnam: The Red River basin originates from China. Currently, the General Department of Meteorology and Hydrology of Vietnam receives information on water level, flow and rainfall from 5 hydrological stations: Nguyen Giang and Man Hao on Nguyen river (upper stream of Thao river); Tho Kha Ha, Tu Nam and Kim Thuy Ha on Ly Tien river (upstream of Da river). In the past 7 days, the water level at the above hydrological stations tended to change slowly, affected by upstream hydroelectricity, no flood occurred, the average daily rainfall was 10mm-30mm. The water level of rivers in the Red-Thai Binh river basin in the Vietnamese territory is changing slowly and at a low level.
Director of the NCHMF Mai Van Khiem reported the situation of rain and flood in China and identification of hydrometeorology in the Northern mountainous areas and the Northern Delta in the last 6 months of 2020
In the past, heavy floods occurred on the basin of the Ly Tien and Nguyen rivers in Chinese territory, resulting in abnormal floods on the Da and Thao Rivers such as in 2008, 2015, 2015. However, floods appeared asynchronously, when being transmitted to Vietnam territory, the river was expanded, flood flow had losses and flood wave was flat, these floods did not cause big floods on the whole Red River basin.
Large floods on the alarm lelvel 3 of the Red-Thai Binh river basin are formed when a combination of various weather patterns causing heavy rains (such as storms, tropical depressions, tropical convergence strips, low pressure trenches, etc.) combined with high flood base for many days. The flood flow from China does not contribute much to the formation of large floods in the Red River basin, but it will increase the complexity of flood evolutions on the already formed high flood base.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Huu Hung, Deputy Chief of the Office - National Committee of Disaster Prevention and Control, Search and rescue gave some opinions such as: Historical flood in China lasted nearly 1 month, very unusual and irregular, causing many consequences. If this happens in Vietnam, the questions are how to respond? How is the work done to evacuate people? Mr. Hung suggested that the forecasting agency must make accurate predictions to implement the response plan. The coordination between military forces, police, and localities must be adjusted accordingly if evacuation is required. In order to prepare a plan to cope with the situation, the Steering Committee is requested to chair and coordinate with the forces, propagate to the people. When unusual floods and rain occur, the direction of levels is very important, especially for people require relocation, in places prone to landslides; for material preparation work in response and timely relief to people. The National Committee will coordinate, review and ready forces to respond to natural disasters.
Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture - Government Office Mr. Dao Quang Tuynh emphasized the at the meeting: Flood and rain in the Southwest -26 provinces and cities were very large. To report to the Prime Minister, the General Department of Meteorology and Hydrology must have sufficient statistics, confirm the correlation between floods in China and Vietnam, and identify whether it occurred in Vietnam or not. The worst scenarios must be taken into account , ensure the safety of life for people as proposed the plan to respond to super typhoons, response to reservoir incidents;
Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture - Government Office Mr. Dao Quang Tuynh spoke at the meeting
Ms. Bui Hai Binh, VOV spoke at the meeting
After hearing the opinions of the concerned ministries, branches and agencies, Deputy Head of the Central Steering Committee, Mr. Tran Quang Hoai, suggested: The National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting to further provide more insightful news. The concerned ministries, branches and agencies to conduct a general inspection of all supplies, forces, machines and equipment, review all dykes from level III, critical response plans, etc.
Deputy Chairman of the Central Steering Committee - General Director of VNDMA Mr. Tran Quang Hoai concluded the meeting
The Directorate of Water Resources to provide documents to the Steering Committee to serve the executive direction.
EVN and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to check the preparedness and response before the rainy season, the previous problems have been dealt with, the lower section of Hoa Binh lake has no cages, ready for flood discharge; small hydroelectric lakes suggested local requirements, Su Pan 1 flooded the bridge and was not warned; many constructions such as Ho Ho lake, downstream horn system, landmark flood, telephone system send messages to responsible people, rehearsals, coordinate with local authorities when discharging floods, checking and permitting water storage to ensure safety; plans to cope with flash floods and landslides.
The Department of Natural Disaster Response and Remedy ready to have suitable equipment and facilities; ready access to areas affected by flash floods, landslides; The Standing Office of the Central Steering Committee on Fire Prevention and Rescue urgently buys unmanned aircraft for working purpose; Preparing the evacuation plan for the population; work with localities and the Ministry of Health on coping under Covid19 conditions.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade to pay attention to the valve of exploiting all licensed and illegal minerals, landslides and pitfalls.
The media to report to people timely about floods in China so that people could stay informed, avoiding bewilderment.
