Prevent early, from afar, before a natural disaster occurs

On the afternoon of July 24, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee, the National Civil Defense Steering Committee held its first meeting to evaluate disaster prevention, control and search and rescue (PCTT - TKCN) work in 2024 and the first months of 2025; and determine key directions and tasks in the coming time. Attending were Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Deputy Head of the Steering Committee; General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense, Deputy Head of the Steering Committee. The meeting was held in person in Hanoi and online to 34 provinces, cities and 3,321 communes, wards and special zones nationwide.

Attending at the Quang Tri provincial bridge were Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Tran Phong; members of the Provincial Party Standing Committee: Major General Nguyen Thanh Liem, Director of the Provincial Police; Colonel Doan Sinh Hoa, Commander of the Provincial Military Command; representatives of the provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee; leaders of functional departments, branches and sectors.

In 2024 and the first months of 2025, natural disasters across the country will be extreme, complex and unusual, causing unprecedented damage in many years. In 2024 alone, natural disasters left 519 people dead and missing, with estimated economic damage of more than VND91,000 billion - more than 9 times that of 2023.

View of the meeting at the Quang Tri province bridge - Photo: TC

Since the beginning of 2025, 114 people have died; many areas have been severely affected by flash floods, landslides, prolonged drought and saltwater intrusion, directly affecting people's lives, livelihoods and safety.

The Steering Committee highly appreciated the timely and drastic direction in management, mobilizing the entire political system to respond to and overcome the consequences of natural disasters. Major policies such as the National Strategy for Disaster Prevention and Control to 2030, directives and documents of the Secretariat have been implemented synchronously. Forecasting, warning, inter-reservoir operation, ensuring dike safety... have achieved many positive results.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Tran Phong and delegates attending at the Quang Tri province bridge - Photo: TC

At the meeting, representatives of leaders of ministries, branches and localities focused on discussing and evaluating the achievements, shortcomings and limitations in the work of PCTT - TKCN in the past time. Opinions unanimously agreed that, in the face of increasingly extreme and unusual natural disasters, it is necessary to promote synchronous disaster response plans and schemes from the central to local levels; increase investment in forecasting and early warning work; strengthen on-site response capacity, especially at the commune and provincial levels.

Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that in the context of increasingly extreme, abnormal, and unpredictable natural disasters, the task of disaster prevention and control must always put the protection of people's lives and property first and foremost, considering this a consistent and pervasive viewpoint of the Party and State.

The Prime Minister requested ministries, branches and localities to continue to promote the spirit of initiative, not to be subjective or negligent; to improve the effectiveness of the "4 on-site" motto; to invest in modernizing the forecasting and early warning system; to promote the development of infrastructure and equipment for disaster prevention and control in a smart and synchronous manner.

Disaster prevention and control work must be community-centered; science, technology and digital transformation must be the driving force; and practical actions must be the measure of effectiveness. In all situations, it must be handled quickly and accurately, without being passive or surprised; and necessary necessities must be fully ensured to serve the people.

The Prime Minister emphasized the “3 musts” principle in civil defense: Prevention must be early, from afar, before a natural disaster occurs; response must be calm, clear-headed, timely, appropriate, safe and effective; must join hands, mobilize the entire population, the entire force, and the entire society to participate. Localities are required to complete the Civil Defense Steering Committee according to the 2-level government model, with clear people, clear work, clear responsibilities, and clear effectiveness; and promote the role of the leader.

Frankly pointing out the shortcomings and problems, the Prime Minister requested the need to shift from passive to proactive, from overcoming to preventing, considering communes and wards as “fortresses”, and people as the center. Continue to perfect institutions, strengthen decentralization, closely coordinate with all levels and sectors, strictly implement the central direction, especially the directions of General Secretary To Lam in PCTT - TKCN.

The Prime Minister also requested news agencies and newspapers to step up propaganda and raise public awareness of disaster prevention and control, while effectively combating and refuting distorted and provocative arguments and taking advantage of natural disasters to destabilize security and order by hostile forces.

Phan Khiem - Thanh Cao

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/phong-ngua-tu-som-tu-xa-tu-khi-chua-xay-ra-su-co-thien-tai-196182.htm