A "shield" against natural disasters.

Phu Tho province is centrally located, connecting the Northern Midlands and Mountains with the Northern Delta. It has a natural area of ​​over 9,300 square kilometers and a population of over 4 million people living in 148 communes and wards. Its diverse topography includes high mountains, midland hills, and riverside plains. In particular, the system of 7 major rivers and nearly 5,000 irrigation works, including 3,882 lakes and dams, has created a dense and interwoven hydrological network.

The Ngoi Ganh reservoir in Trung Son commune has a designed capacity of nearly 37 million cubic meters, helping to store water during the dry season and mitigate floods, reducing pressure on the downstream area during heavy rains.

These abundant water resources are the lifeblood of production, the alluvial soil that nourishes vast fields, but at the same time, they also harbor unpredictable dangers from devastating floods whenever the rainy season arrives. The ancients had a saying, "First water, second fire," to warn of the cruelty of water-borne enemies, and with a strongly transitional topography like Phu Tho , this challenge becomes even more apparent and direct than ever before.

In recent years, natural disasters have deviated from normal patterns, becoming more ferocious, unpredictable, and extreme under the impact of global climate change. Torrential rains, roaring floods, and rumbling explosions from deep within the earth signaling landslides have become terrifying nightmares for people in vulnerable areas. When nature rages, it can wipe out a lifetime's worth of labor in an instant.

Construction of emergency works to repair the landslide and breach of the right bank of the Thao River dike between Km73+100 and Km73+300, in Tam Nong commune.

The actual figures demonstrate the severity of this situation: in the last five years alone, the province has had to urgently mobilize resources to arrange and stabilize housing for 360 households in concentrated projects and provide direct financial support to 93 households relocating from dangerous areas.

In remote and isolated villages, 72 households have had their homes relocated to avoid the ever-present risk of landslides. Although the province's agricultural sector continues to strive for growth, with production value reaching an impressive 45,409 billion VND in 2025, the pressure to ensure safety against natural disasters is increasing, requiring a more proactive and sustainable approach.

Faced with the challenging problem of ensuring the safety of people's lives and property, the province has shifted strongly from a "passive response" mindset to a "proactive prevention" mindset, prioritizing prevention while combining timely response and rapid recovery according to the "four on-the-spot" and "three ready" principles. One of the key solutions is the issuance of Decision No. 514/QD-UBND dated February 24, 2026, on the Plan for implementing the Project "Enhancing community awareness and community-based disaster risk management until 2030," creating a foundation for building a disaster prevention and control system early, remotely, and at the grassroots level.

The Song Lo Bridge (in Doan Hung commune) is being urgently repaired, with the goal of completing the work before the rainy season.

In addition, the province has focused on investing in infrastructure for disaster prevention and control. By 2025, 26 key projects had been implemented; 14.4km of dykes and embankments had been constructed; more than 128km of canals and ditches had been concreted; and 17 lakes and dams had been upgraded. These projects not only contribute to water regulation and flood control but also ensure safety for downstream areas, stabilize production, and improve the lives of the people.

Raising awareness and enhancing the self-protection capabilities of each citizen is the key to transforming government efforts into a collective strength of the entire society. The plan issued with Decision No. 514/QD-UBND has set specific goals closely aligned with real-life situations, striving to ensure that by 2030, 100% of people in areas directly affected by natural disasters are fully equipped with disaster prevention skills.

The content of the awareness campaign has been revamped, combining visual aids and digital technology applications; at the same time, knowledge of disaster prevention and control has been incorporated into the education program to foster a proactive awareness among the younger generation.

The establishment of grassroots rapid response forces, maintaining 24/7 vigilance at critical points, and the combination of traditional knowledge with technological applications in disaster monitoring and warning have enhanced the effectiveness of prevention and control. Directives and warnings are promptly disseminated to the public through the broadcasting system and digital platforms, contributing to risk reduction.

It can be affirmed that, with the right direction and synchronized solutions, the province is gradually building a solid "shield" against natural disasters. When infrastructure is strengthened, community awareness is raised, and the "people's support" is fostered, Phu Tho will proactively and effectively respond, minimize damage, and create a foundation for sustainable development in the context of increasingly complex climate change.

Le Hoang

Source: https://baophutho.vn/la-chan-truoc-bien-dong-thien-tai-251444.htm