Ensuring safety for people in earthquake areas

In recent years, in the provinces of Kon Tum , Quang Nam and Quang Ngai, earthquakes have occurred continuously with increasingly strong tremors. Earthquakes affect the lives and production of people in the epicenter and neighboring areas. To ensure the safety of the people, the provinces and cities in the Central Highlands have implemented many response measures to reduce damage and enhance safety for the community.

According to statistics from the Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Center - Institute of Geophysics, in the past three years, more than 700 earthquakes have been recorded in Kon Plong district, Kon Tum province and neighboring areas. In particular, at the end of July 2024, the two largest earthquakes recorded in many years occurred, with magnitudes of 4.1 and 5.0. In Quang Nam and Quang Ngai provinces, hundreds of earthquakes occurred, or were affected by earthquake tremors from Kon Tum province.

Song Tranh 2 Hydropower Plant has a capacity of 729.2 million m3 of water, one of the largest reservoirs in Quang Nam province.

Dak Tang Commune, Kon Plong District, has 490 households with 1,600 people, mainly Xe Dang ethnic people. The whole commune has 6 villages, of which two villages are in the Thuong Kon Tum hydroelectric reservoir area. As one of the communes affected by the 5.0 magnitude earthquake last July, people are most worried about the collapse of houses and infrastructure.

Over the past three years, Kon Plong district, Kon Tum province and surrounding areas have recorded more than 700 earthquakes. Notably, at the end of July 2024, the two largest earthquakes recorded in many years occurred, with magnitudes of 4.1 and 5.0. In Quang Nam and Quang Ngai provinces, hundreds of earthquakes occurred, or were affected by earthquake tremors from Kon Tum province.

Ms. Y Ky in Dak Tang commune said: “Some days there are three to four earthquakes. My family is used to it. If the earthquake is mild, we don’t run, but if it is strong, we have to run. If the earthquake happens during the day, we can still run away, but if it happens at night, we are afraid we won’t be able to react in time.”

According to Chairman of Dak Tang Commune People's Committee Nguyen Van Bay: Since the beginning of the year, there have been many earthquakes in the commune. The Commune People's Committee has established teams to go to the village to relieve people's concerns and worries; inspect houses and structures at risk of cracking due to earthquakes. People really hope that specialized agencies will directly guide and practice for the government and people to learn response skills.

Over the past years, the two mountainous districts of Son Ha and Son Tay, Quang Ngai province, have been continuously hit by earthquakes and have been affected by earthquakes from other provinces in the region, affecting people's property as well as infrastructure in this mountainous district. "Residential areas and houses located in mountainous areas are at high risk of landslides, and now there are more and more earthquakes, so timely warning and response measures are needed," said an official from Son Tay district.

Thuong Kon Tum Hydropower Plant is one of the large hydropower plants in Kon Tum province, with a total reservoir capacity of 145.52 million m3 and a power line nearly 20 km long.

To ensure the safety of people in the epicenter of the earthquake and neighboring areas, Kon Tum, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai provinces have proactively provided timely information about the earthquake; provided guidance on response skills and psychological stability for people, especially those in mountainous areas and ethnic minority areas; and encouraged people to continue production and stabilize their lives.

Kon Tum province coordinated with the Institute of Geophysics and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology to train and guide grassroots officials and people on how to prevent and respond to earthquakes. In Kon Plong district, people from Dak Tang, Mang But, Dak Ring, Po E, Dak Nen and Mang Canh communes participated in earthquake response skills courses; local authorities coordinated with functional agencies to practice and rehearse evacuating people from the epicenter of the earthquake. Ms. Y Kieu in Dak Nen commune shared: "I was trained and instructed to protect myself from dangerous places when there is an earthquake, and know where I need to move to ensure safety."

In addition to earthquake response measures, provinces in the Central Highlands and Central Vietnam assess the status and nature of earthquakes to issue disaster risk warnings and widely publicize them to the public; inspect, evaluate and survey residential areas, houses, solid, degraded, subsided and cracked structures to have reinforcement plans to ensure people's safety.

According to Vice Chairman of Kon Plong District People's Committee Le Duc Tin: Self-prevention and protection skills are regularly updated so that people can understand and respond promptly. In addition, the district recommends that the province consult with specialized agencies to carefully assess earthquakes, monitor earthquake developments and aftershocks, and clarify the causes of the unusual increase in earthquakes in the area.

Over the past years, the development of hydropower, reservoirs and water storage systems in the mountainous areas of Kon Tum, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai provinces has affected the terrain and geology. Therefore, localities need to strengthen control over hydropower operations, reservoir operations and water storage. Hydropower plants need to manage and operate to ensure the safety of the works; monitor and observe dams and construction items to assess the impact of earthquakes, thereby taking timely measures.

Director of Thuong Kon Tum Hydropower Company Tran Cong Dam said: The unit closely coordinates with the Institute of Geophysics to have step-by-step research results on the nature, laws, and zoning of earthquakes in the area, from which it will proactively supplement new appropriate response processes and plans; at the same time, proactively mobilize resources and means to promptly handle any abnormalities or damage to the works, if any.

Vice Chairman of the Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee Ho Quang Buu affirmed: "We request localities and hydropower and irrigation management units to increase surveys and monitoring in the earthquake-triggered and affected areas to assess the level of risk, proactively respond and minimize damage; at the same time, propose central ministries and branches to support research on the relationship between earthquakes and water storage of hydropower reservoirs in Quang Nam and neighboring areas; forecast and propose solutions to prevent and mitigate damage caused by earthquakes to hydropower and irrigation works in the province."

Source: https://baodaknong.vn/bao-dam-an-toan-cho-nguoi-dan-vung-dong-dat-234791.html