On September 22, 2020, the Delegation of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control led by Mr. To Anh Dung - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Joining the working delegation were representatives of the Standing Office of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control (Southern Disaster Prevention Sub-Department), representatives of Office of National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, Institute of Coastal and Offshore Engineering - Vietnam Academy for Water Resources Sciences and representatives of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Checking the Trung Nhuan saltwater intrusion prevention sewer - Giong Trom district

 From the local side, working with the delegation were Mr. Nguyen Huu Lap - Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee - Standing Deputy Head of the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue of Ben Tre province and leaders from related services.

The delegation went to field inspection of a number of key projects on disaster management and irrigation in Ben Tre province (Trung Nhuan saline prevention sewer at Giong Trom district and Kenh Lap freshwater reservoir - Ba Tri district).

The representative of the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue of Ben Tre province reported that from the beginning of 2019, there have been 05 thunderstorms along with tornadoes that injured 01 person, collapsed 27 houses and roofed-off 233 houses, 03 landslides damaged 02 houses, 04 areas of serious riverbank and coastline erosion with a length of 6.9km, high tide exceeded the historic tidal peak affecting 27km of the embankment, 40km rural roads have flooded more than 700ha of production land, seedlings, and ponds, affecting many sluices and works under construction in the province. In 2020, the natural disaster situation becomes more and more complicated and causes serious consequences, affecting production and daily life of local people with historical salinity intrusion in the dry season 2019-2020 has caused damage of 5,401 ha of Winter Spring (the province has recommended but the people still sow seeds voluntarily), 168 ha of crops, 27,985 ha of fruit trees, 600 ha of seedlings, 1.2 million of ornamental flower plants, 2,110 ha of ​​aquaculture area and 86,896 households lack of water for domestic use. Estimated economic loss was about 1,660 billion VND. Along with the drought, early 2020, there was a serious landslide on the banks of the Mo Cay river, Mo Cay Nam district with a length of 2,967m.

Recently, the province has been interested by the Government, relevant Ministries and Party Committees at all levels, and local authorities have received a consensus from organizations, businesses, and residential communities in the real implementation. Currently, it has received many positive results.

Representative of the the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue of Ben Tre province reports on disaster prevention and fighting

The Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue at all levels has actively reviewed, adjusted, updated, and supplemented annual plans for the annual disaster prevention plan is suitable to the situation of the locality, in which the provincial, district and commune levels already have plans in responding to natural disasters; annually review and adjust to suit the actual situation of the locality.

The work of ensuring the safety of the population and production is focused; disaster management works are regularly checked. Irrigation works are re-invested, renovated, upgraded, dredged and expanded in order to serve the water drainage before the rainy season and storm.

In addition, the “4 on the spot” motto is actively performed through consolidation and assignment of specific responsibilities in the The Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue at all levels; Review, supplement and develop new plans to cope with different types of natural disasters that match with natural disaster risk levels and incident response options in the area, and building the natural disaster task force and new rural development to ensure safety from natural disasters according to the criterion 3.2, training to improve the capacity of disaster management, skills for natural disaster task force and management Community-based disaster risk under project 1002, etc.

Locality also focus on the work of building and strengthening the natural disaster task force in communes, wards and towns. Up to now, there has beeb established 140 natural disaster task forces / 157 communes, total 22,039 people (Militia self-defense 21,049 people, reserve mobilization 192 people).

Implementing the criterion 3 on irrigation in building new rural development in the 2016-2020 period, on “Establishing, consolidating and maintaining regular operations of the key natural disaster task force, which are militia and self-defense force, and the people's dyke management force (optional) is regularly trained and to meet the first hour response requirements when a natural disaster occurs”. Until now, 22/164 communes have been recognized as organize natural disaster task force according to regulations. The regulation of new rural communes helps local authorities to be more proactive in propaganda, raising community awareness about natural disasters, building communities and residential areas safe from natural disasters.

Deputy Minister To Anh Dung delivers the conclusion of the Conference

Conclusion on the disaster prevention and control works of Ben Tre province, Deputy Minister To Anh Dung noted that the locality has made many commendable efforts in the work of disaster management over the past time (Party committees, authorities, especially The Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue of provinces and localities; well prepared for reports to serve the mission to ensure the requirements and close the actual situation; Develop plans to respond to storms, super storms and coping plans with various types of natural disasters usually occur in the area corresponding to the level of natural disaster risk). Currently, natural disasters complicated, extreme and unpredictable, and suggests that Ben Tre province continue to pay attention and thoroughly implement Directive No. 42-CT / TW dated March 24, 2020 of Party Central Secretariat's letter on strengthening the Party's leadership in natural disaster prevention, response and recovery, in which the focus is on bringing the content of disaster management into the resolutions of the Party Congress at all levels; to consolidate, rearrange the organizational apparatus, improve the efficiency of the Command Committee's operations; clearly define the responsibilities of the leader, integrate the content of the disaster prevention into the local socio-economic development plans.

At the same time, Ben Tre province is requested to review and update for disaster prevention and control plans, especially for the period 2021 - 2025. Enhance the installation of monitoring and forecasting equipments. For example, rain gauge, salinity meter water level, camera, warning signs for landslide and thunderstorms. Accelerate the completion of disaster control and irrigation works. Continue to exercise of responding to various types of natural disasters occurring in the area in accordance with the actual conditions of the locality. In addition, to strengthen communication activities to raise awareness of the people.

With local proposals, the delegation will record and report to the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and and relevant ministries and agencies for consideration in the coming time.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Huu Lap - Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee - Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee - Standing Deputy Head of the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue of Ben Tre province suggested members of the Provincial Command for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue to absorb the opinions of the working delegation for specific orientations and solutions in the coming time.

Following the schedule, the delegation continues to check for disaster prevention in Tra Vinh province on September 23, 2020.