No disruption in disaster response when implementing two-level local government organization

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has just signed Official Dispatch No. 70/CD-TTg dated May 23 of the Prime Minister on focusing on responding to the risk of landslides, flash floods, and localized flooding in the North.

Telegrams sent to the Ministries of National Defense and Public Security; Ministers of the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment, Industry and Trade, Construction and Chairmen of the People's Committees of the provinces and cities: Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Bac Giang, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, Hoa Binh, Son La, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An.

The dispatch stated: From the beginning of May until now, although it has not yet entered the peak of the rainy season, there have been many dangerous weather phenomena such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, lightning, heavy rain causing floods, flash floods, landslides, causing damage to people's lives and property, especially in some provinces such as Lai Chau, Bac Kan , Quang Ninh...

During the rain from May 23-24, there may be extremely heavy rain, with the risk of flash floods and landslides.

In the context that localities are focusing on restructuring administrative units, preparing to end the operation of district-level governments to implement the 2-level local government model, and the agencies directing and commanding disaster prevention and control at the grassroots level are not yet stable, in order to proactively prevent and control natural disasters, storms and floods, ensure safety of life, and minimize damage to people's and State's property, the Prime Minister requests:

The Chairmen of the People's Committees of the above-mentioned provinces and cities direct relevant agencies and units to continue to closely monitor the situation, promptly and effectively implement measures to proactively respond to natural disasters, especially landslides, flash floods, and localized flooding to ensure safety of life and reduce damage to property of the people and the State. There must be absolutely no interruption in the leadership and direction of response to natural disasters when implementing the rearrangement of administrative units and organization of local governments at two levels.

The Prime Minister requested the Minister of Agriculture and Environment to direct, organize, closely monitor, warn, forecast, and provide timely information on weather and natural disasters to ministries, branches, localities and people to proactively deploy response work.

The Minister of Industry and Trade directs the implementation of work to ensure the safety of hydroelectric dams; coordinates with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in directing the operation of hydroelectric reservoirs, ensuring absolute safety for large hydroelectric projects on the Red River system, and at the same time, effectively using water resources for power generation during peak hot months.

The Minister of Construction directed the review and implementation of plans to ensure traffic safety and traffic infrastructure and construction works in case of natural disasters, promptly repair landslides and traffic routes that have been cut off, and ensure smooth traffic, especially on national highways and main traffic routes.

The Ministry of National Defense shall coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and relevant agencies to urgently complete and submit to the Government for promulgation a Decree detailing a number of articles of the Law on Civil Defense in accordance with the organizational arrangement of the political system and the organization of local governments at two levels in May; direct the Military Regions and forces stationed in the area to review, develop plans, proactively mobilize forces and means to coordinate with localities and relevant forces to deploy disaster response, search and rescue and quickly overcome the consequences of natural disasters according to regulations.

The Ministry of Public Security directs local police, especially grassroots police forces, to develop plans and proactively deploy support for people to prevent, combat, and overcome the consequences of natural disasters and incidents, and to search and rescue when situations arise.

According to Mr. Mai Van Khiem, Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, Department of Hydro-Meteorology (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), from tonight (May 23) to the morning of May 24, in the Northern region, there will be moderate rain, heavy rain and thunderstorms, locally very heavy rain with common rainfall of 70-150mm, locally over 250mm.

From this evening (May 23), in the North Central region, there will be scattered showers and thunderstorms, locally heavy rain with rainfall from 15-30mm, some places over 50mm; from this evening to May 24, heavy rain will expand, locally very heavy rain with rainfall of 40-80mm, some places over 150mm.

The Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said that the areas with the heaviest rain are likely to be in the provinces of Son La, Hoa Binh, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang, Cao Bang, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, and Hai Phong.

It is worth noting that the warning during this rain is that heavy rain in 1-3 hours can reach 100mm, or more than 100mm, which will greatly affect the risk of flash floods and landslides. Therefore, the risk of flooding, inundation of urban areas and low-lying areas; flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas.

Especially during this rain from 23-24/5, there may be extremely heavy rain in a short period of 1-3 hours. In addition, there is a cold air mass being compressed, there is a possibility of interaction between cold air masses from the North and hot and humid air masses from the South, which can cause conflicts.

According to Mr. Khiem, the northern provinces have just experienced a heavy rain, so in mountainous areas such as Bac Kan, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, the soil and rocks are saturated with water, so the risk of landslides is still high. People need to be on guard against landslides to avoid causing damage to people and property.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/Xa-hoi/khong-de-xay-ra-gian-doan-ung-pho-voi-thien-tai-khi-thuc-hien-to-chuc-chinh-quyen-dia-phuong-2-cap-i769282/