Ensuring dike safety when the Red River water level rises

Hung Yen province currently has 430km of dykes; of which there are over 300km of river dykes; nearly 69km of sea dykes; over 43km of estuary dykes, the rest is a level IV dyke system. With the motto of taking early and proactive action in the face of natural disasters to minimize the damage caused by natural disasters, Hung Yen province is determined to maintain the main dyke system and secondary dykes during the rainy and stormy season.

Rapidly flowing water on Tra Ly River, passing Bo Bridge, Hung Yen Province. Photo: Dinh Van Nhieu/VNA

Hung Phu Commune (Hung Yen) has a 11.36km long sea dike. In recent times, due to the impact of weather, this dike has had some weak points. Mr. Bui Tuan Anh, Chairman of Hung Phu Commune People's Committee, informed that most of the sea dike surface has been completely degraded. Notably, weak points have appeared at the foot of the dike close to the people's aquaculture ponds. The Commune People's Committee has sent a document to the Department of Agriculture and Environment for guidance, implementation of upgrading, renovation, and ensuring the safety of the dike in the commune.

According to Mr. Bui Tuan Anh, in addition to the sea dike, the National Defense dike in the commune has also experienced erosion and subsidence due to heavy rain, strong winds, combined with high tides. For example, on September 29, due to the impact of storm No. 10, the National Defense sea dike to Con Vanh Border Station experienced erosion and subsidence with a length of about 6m, width of 2m and risked affecting the safety of the dike system. In response to the above incident, the People's Committee of Hung Phu commune mobilized means and materials such as sacks, sand, rocks, tarpaulins, cranes, etc. to temporarily handle the situation and prevent the risk of erosion; at the same time, arranged the police, military forces of the commune and the people to participate in reinforcing and repairing as soon as the tide receded.

Mr. Bui Tuan Anh added that, before the impact of storm No. 11, the commune has proactively prepared plans to respond to the storm, including 6 teams on duty 24/7, ready to handle all situations to ensure property and minimize damage caused by the storm.

These days, in Vu Tien commune (Hung Yen), due to the rising water level of the Red River, the dike in Nghia Tuong village has appeared to have a bulge and some leaks have occurred at the sluice gates across the dike in the villages: Vu Doai, Kenh Dao, Doan Ket, Thien Long. As soon as the incident occurred, the commune mobilized forces to plant stakes, spread tarps and proceed to fill the area where the incident occurred.

Mr. Bui Ngoc Quang, Vice Chairman of Vu Tien Commune People's Committee, shared that the commune has 30km of national dyke and 20km of dyke and dike. Through actual inspection, it was found that there are 4 weak points along the entire dyke line, especially the Hong Phong dyke area because the dyke surface is low, so when the Red River water level rises to alert level 3, a dyke overflow may occur. In the immediate future, the commune has mobilized human and material resources to proactively respond when situations arise. In the long term, Vu Tien Commune People's Committee will have a document recommending the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment to upgrade, renovate and ensure the safety of dykes in the commune.

"The Commune People's Committee has also proactively developed a plan to increase the capacity of pumping stations and drainage culverts to lower the water level in the canal system, ponds, lakes, and low-lying areas to increase water storage capacity, reduce the risk of flooding, and ensure safety for the Summer-Autumn rice area that is about to be harvested; and operate irrigation and drainage works to the maximum when heavy rain occurs to ensure drainage," said Mr. Bui Ngoc Quang.

Head of the Hung Yen Province Irrigation Sub-Department Dang Xuan Thanh said that recently, the Provincial Irrigation Sub-Department has advised the Department of Agriculture and Environment as well as the Provincial People's Committee to issue a document directing and requesting the People's Committees of departments, branches and localities to deploy forces to review, inspect and evaluate the entire system of dikes and irrigation works in the area. From there, propose measures and plans to handle, repair and overcome damaged construction items, promptly ensuring the safety of the dike system before the rainy and stormy season. Every year, the province also regularly evaluates and inspects the current status of flood and waterlogging prevention works, proactively repairs and repairs damages that arise outside the assigned repair plan. In particular, the province allocates a large amount of funds for this activity.

Faced with the complicated developments of storm No. 11 (MATMO), localities in Hung Yen province have simultaneously deployed storm and flood prevention work with the motto "Four on-site", especially wards and communes along rivers and seas have focused on ensuring the safety of the dike system.

To proactively prevent storms and floods, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hung Yen province Nguyen Khac Than issued a telegram requesting departments, branches and localities to proactively respond to storm No. 11 (MATMO) and floods; in which, the task at all levels is to strictly prohibit ships and boats from going to sea, stop exploitation, aquaculture, fishing and other activities in estuary, coastal and offshore areas after the sea ban period.

Commune and ward People's Committees inspect and review plans to protect key dykes, embankments, and culverts, and projects under construction on dykes, especially river dykes and sea dykes. Ensure the safety of people and property in the dyke areas along river estuaries and coastal areas to prevent storms combined with floods and high tides causing dykes and dikes to overflow and break; at the same time, when detecting unsafe projects, proactively mobilize forces, means, and materials to handle and reinforce immediately.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/xa-hoi/dam-bao-an-toan-de-dieu-khi-nuoc-song-hong-dang-cao-20251004201522298.htm