Quan Hoa proactively responds to flood season

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - With a terrain divided by high mountains and many river and stream systems, Quan Hoa district has many potential risks of natural disasters, especially during the rainy and flood season. According to statistics, in 2025, the whole district has 776 households with more than 3,400 people in 14 communes and towns living in high-risk areas. In this reality, proactively developing and implementing plans for natural disaster prevention, control, search and rescue (PCTT TKCN) is always identified as a key, urgent and continuous task of local Party committees and authorities.

Residents of Hoi Xuan town (Quan Hoa) are worried about landslides before the 2025 storm season.

Since the beginning of 2025, the command committee for PCTT, TKCN and civil defense from the district to the grassroots level has been strengthened, ensuring effective operation when situations arise. Response plans are regularly updated according to the "4 on-site" motto, closely following the terrain characteristics of each locality. Along with that, Quan Hoa district has organized training courses to improve the capacity of the staff in charge of PCTT, TKCN in the area; established and maintained the operation of on-site shock teams, ready to participate in rescue when floods and landslides occur.

In communes with rugged terrain, where residents are located along rivers, streams or at the foot of mountains, preparedness work is of greater concern. Phu Xuan commune has suffered heavy losses in recent years during floods. According to Mr. Cao Hong Duoc, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, ensuring the safety of people's lives and property before the flood season is always a top priority for the commune Party Committee and government. From resources from programs and projects, the commune has supported the construction of houses for poor households and policy households. In 2024 and 2025, the commune has built and repaired more than 140 houses, ensuring the criteria of solidity and safety against natural disasters. In addition, the commune also reviewed and zoned off high-risk residential areas to propagate and instruct people to grasp evacuation plans and proactively evacuate when there are signs of unusual weather.

Along with Phu Xuan, the remaining communes and towns of the district have proactively reviewed and updated risk maps and response plans are being vigorously implemented. According to Mr. Do Phi Hung, Head of the District's Department of Agriculture and Environment, the district has currently identified 19 residential areas with 102 households/437 people living along rivers and streams, where there are no protective dykes and are at high risk of flooding when large floods occur; 8 residential areas with 45 households/204 people in low-lying areas that are prone to flooding; 23 areas with 93 households/380 people located in areas at risk of flash floods; 51 residential areas with 535 households/2,418 people that may be affected by landslides when heavy rains persist. On that basis, the communes and towns in the district have developed appropriate evacuation plans for each specific situation. At the same time, working groups at the grassroots level guided people to reinforce their houses, brace roofs, reinforce foundations, build temporary shelters or bamboo poles to prevent landslides, and protect property in unavoidable situations.

Along with that, Quan Hoa district is also actively implementing the Project on resettlement and stabilization of residents in disaster areas for the period 2021-2025. In 2024, the district relocated 31 households living in dangerous areas to safer new places. Some resettlement sites have completed leveling and building solid houses. Before the 2025 storm season, propaganda work continues to be promoted. The grassroots broadcasting system and community activities all incorporate PCTT TKCN guidance to disseminate to the people. Schools and medical stations in remote areas are reviewed to develop plans to ensure the safety of students, teachers and medical staff when storms occur. The inspection and tightening of management of civil construction works and small irrigation works on mountain slopes and along streams where there is a risk of landslides are also focused on by the district's functional departments and offices. However, the PCTT TKCN work in Quan Hoa still faces many challenges. Many unique roads are prone to landslides and cut off during heavy rains, directly affecting access and rescue capabilities. Some people are still subjective and do not realize the level of danger and the complexity and unpredictability of natural disasters.

Mr. Do Phi Hung, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Quan Hoa district, emphasized: “The work of natural disaster prevention and control is a common responsibility of the whole society. To reduce damage, it is necessary to have the synchronous participation of the entire political system, functional forces and especially the consensus and initiative from the people”.

Article and photos: Dinh Giang

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/quan-hoa-chu-dong-ung-pho-truoc-mua-mua-lu-250287.htm