Nearly 600 people receive training in multi-disaster response.

GIA LAI - The training program, organized by IOM Vietnam and the Department of Dike Management and Disaster Prevention and Control, aims to enhance the community's capacity to respond to various types of natural disasters.

From May 27-30, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Vietnam, in collaboration with the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention and Control ( Ministry of Agriculture and Environment ), organized a series of training and drill activities on multi-disaster response in Cat Tien and Ngo May communes, Gia Lai province.

Nearly 100 officials from the commune-level disaster prevention and control task force participated in intensive training courses. In addition, nearly 500 officials, soldiers of the civil defense force, and local residents directly participated in field exercises simulating complex natural disaster scenarios such as typhoons, floods, and landslides.

This activity is part of the National Week for Disaster Prevention and Control in 2026, themed "Community working together to prevent and control natural disasters," aiming to raise awareness and promote the participation of the entire society in the prevention, response, and mitigation of natural disaster risks.

Nearly 500 officers and soldiers of the civil defense force and local people directly participated in the field exercise. Photo: IOM .

Mr. Nguyen Van Tien, Deputy Director of the Department of Dike Management and Disaster Prevention and Control, emphasized that enhancing the response capacity of communities, especially grassroots-level rapid response forces, is crucial in disaster risk reduction. According to him, practical drills not only help review and refine response plans but also strengthen the leadership and management capacity of local authorities, improve coordination among forces, and equip people with necessary skills.

Through the project, 28 sets of specialized first aid, rescue, and relief equipment, worth nearly 3.7 billion VND in total, were provided to the rapid response forces in the four participating provinces to enhance their on-site response capabilities. Members of the rapid response teams, including the commune-level Civil Defense Command and core disaster prevention and control forces, also received training in reinforcing houses for flood and storm safety, first aid, search and rescue, and the use of rescue equipment in emergency situations.

A simulated rescue and relief operation was conducted during the drill. Photo: IOM .

"As co-chair of the Housing and Non-Food Items sector in Vietnam, and as a member of the Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership, IOM is committed to working with the Government of Vietnam to promote disaster risk reduction priorities and enhance community resilience. In particular, capacity building for frontline workers and local communities is identified as a key element in protecting people from increasing risks," said Mitsue Pembroke, Project and Partnership Director of IOM Vietnam.

The project was implemented with a $1 million grant from the Japanese government. In addition to supporting capacity building for 28 local rescue teams, IOM Vietnam also provided essential non-food items to over 30,000 people in the provinces of Dak Lak , Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, and Lam Dong, contributing to post-disaster recovery efforts.

Gia Lai was one of the localities heavily affected by natural disasters in 2025. Two major natural disasters, including Typhoon No. 13 (Kalmaegi) and the prolonged heavy rains and floods from November 16-20, caused serious flooding in the Kon and Ha Thanh river basins. More than 57,000 houses were flooded, of which over 28,000 collapsed or were severely damaged. Many essential infrastructure projects were destroyed, with total economic losses estimated at over 11,500 billion VND.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/gan-600-nguoi-tap-huan-ung-pho-da-thien-tai-d813987.html