1,000 rain gauge and flood warning stations help localities proactively respond to natural disasters

The Community Fund for Disaster Prevention and Control has mobilized resources to install automatic rain gauge and flood warning stations, helping localities better respond to natural disasters.

According to Dr. Cao Duc Phat, former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chairman of the Management Board of the Community Fund for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, in recent years, Vietnam has continuously suffered from many storms and floods on a large scale with serious levels and many historical indicators.

Dr. Cao Duc Phat spoke at the Forum "Application of science and technology in forecasting and early warning of natural disasters" on the afternoon of November 25. Photo: Ba Thang.

In disaster response, prevention always plays a key role, first of all, monitoring, forecasting and early warning capacity. In recent years, the State, businesses, social organizations and the international community have invested in improving monitoring and forecasting capacity and achieved many advances, especially in storm forecasting. However, due to increasingly unpredictable and diverse natural disasters, monitoring and warning work still has limitations compared to practical requirements.

“On the other hand, the strong development of science and technology, especially digital technology and artificial intelligence, is opening up new opportunities to improve forecasting efficiency. In addition to satellite data, many automatic rain gauges, radars, sensors measuring temperature, wind, water level, flow velocity or rock movement are being deployed, allowing faster information integration, more accurate simulation for each area and timely transmission to people,” Dr. Cao Duc Phat raised the issue.

Forest planting activities of the Community Fund for Disaster Prevention and Control. Photo: QPT.

Over the past 17 years, the Community Fund for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has mobilized social resources to install nearly 1,000 automatic rain gauge and flood warning stations; and is currently continuing to coordinate support for salinity measuring and landslide warning equipment, building a digital warning system and disaster prevention and control teams at the grassroots level.

Experts believe that when the whole country is looking to the Central region to support people to overcome difficulties, it is also the time to think more deeply about applying science and technology to build specific warning simulations. Localities need to research and build simulations of flood and landslide risks for each region, each level, and gradually improve them to serve proactive warnings. These technologies are only effective when accompanied by investment in monitoring equipment, warning systems and a stable, long-term operating apparatus.

Introducing some typical projects that the Fund has implemented in the context of increasingly complex climate change, Dr. Ha Thuy Hanh, Deputy Director of the Community Fund for Natural Disaster Prevention and Avoidance, said that the system of community works for natural disaster prevention is built in the form of solid 2-storey houses in areas where storms and floods frequently occur.

“During normal weather, these structures serve social security needs such as classrooms, medical stations or cultural activities. When natural disasters occur, they become safe shelters for about 200 people per structure,” said Dr. Ha Thuy Hanh.

In the field of drowning prevention, the school swimming pool construction project contributes to the inclusion of swimming in the primary school curriculum, aiming to reduce tragic accidents among children. Swimming pools with roofs and protective fences have created conditions for tens of thousands of students to learn to swim in a safe environment.

According to Dr. Ha Thuy Hanh, the Fund will focus on applying technology in early warning, building a real-time monitoring and management system in the coming time. Photo: Ba Thang.

Since 2016, the Fund has also supported drought-stricken localities to build new or increase the capacity of 25 clean water plants and systems, and provide tanks and pipes for people to store water for the dry season. The total value of support reached 161 billion VND in 10 provinces and cities.

With the goal of “No student has to drop out of school due to natural disasters”, the “For a Green Future” program gives savings books worth 10 million VND to students whose relatives died or lost their homes due to floods, helping them continue studying until grade 12. The program also provides emergency support of 2-5 million VND to disadvantaged students to buy books, clothes and school supplies after natural disasters.

The Fund also cooperates with the Women's Union to deploy revolving capital for poor women to develop their livelihoods and save money to repair their houses to avoid natural disasters. In addition to financial support, women are trained in production techniques, financial management and skills to cope with climate change. The project initially supported 746 households and expanded to 335 more households from revolving capital.

Automatic rain gauge station for automatic disaster warning at Tak Pat resettlement area, Tra Leng commune, Da Nang city. Photo: Hoang Hiep.

In early warning work, from 2016 to 2025, the Fund has sponsored the installation of rain gauges, flood warning towers, and landslide warning systems in many localities, contributing to improving the response capacity of communities and authorities. In parallel, there are projects to plant and restore forests, especially protective mangrove forests in Thanh Hoa, Quang Binh, Soc Trang and Bac Lieu, helping to minimize natural disasters, protect the environment and create sustainable livelihoods for people.

During the 2011-2014 period, the Fund supported the establishment of 85 commune-level shock troops, organized 16 training courses and provided rescue equipment, with a total budget of more than 9 billion VND, contributing to building local forces in natural disaster prevention.

In the coming time, the Fund will focus on applying technology in early warning, building a real-time monitoring and operating system, conducting evacuation drills in the community, expanding mangrove planting and enhancing response capacity for grassroots forces as well as people.

“The Community Fund for Disaster Prevention and Control hopes to continue to receive support from domestic and international businesses and sponsors to connect communities and improve on-site response capabilities. The long-term goal is to build safe, proactive and sustainable communities against all natural disaster risks,” Dr. Ha Thuy Hanh emphasized.

According to Mr. Le Trong Dam, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Agriculture and Environment Newspaper, the activities of the Community Fund for Natural Disaster Prevention and Avoidance increasingly affirm its important role, especially when State resources cannot fully meet the needs of preventing and overcoming the consequences of storms and floods.

The Fund's activities range from building community shelters, repairing damaged structures, investing in schools in disaster areas, building school swimming pools to prevent drowning, planting protective forests, and awarding scholarships to disadvantaged students. Many models have been replicated and become effective resources to support the State in preventing and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/1000-tram-do-mua-canh-bao-lu-giup-dia-phuong-chu-dong-ung-pho-thien-tai-d786418.html