Quang Tri issues urgent telegram to respond to floods

The dispatch stated that, according to information from the provincial Hydrometeorological Station, in the past 24 hours, Quang Tri province has had rain, scattered moderate rain and thunderstorms, heavy to very heavy rain in some places; rainfall from 11:00 a.m. on October 9 to 11:00 a.m. on October 10, 2023 in mountainous areas and in the northern plains and midlands, the rainfall was generally 30-35 mm; in the southern plains and midlands, the rainfall was generally 80-100 mm.

It is forecasted that from October 11-13, Quang Tri province will have moderate rain, heavy rain, and some places will have very heavy rain and thunderstorms; the total rainfall for the entire period is forecast to be 150-250 mm, with some places over 300 mm. Warning that from October 14-20, heavy rain in Quang Tri will continue to develop complicatedly and may last longer.

Pursuant to Document No. 35/QGPCTT dated October 9, 2023 of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control on responding to heavy rain, flooding, flash flood and landslide risks; to proactively and effectively respond to the flood situation occurring in the province; The Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Tri province requested units and localities to focus on implementing the following tasks:

Chairmen of People's Committees of districts, cities and towns shall closely monitor the development of natural disasters to direct the implementation of timely response measures to ensure the safety of people's lives; organize forces and guide people to respond to floods; strictly manage boats and ships in coastal areas, lagoons and on rivers.

Image of flood water overflowing the Trans-Asia Highway in Cam Lo district in 2020. Photo: Ho Cau

Proactively evacuate people from dangerous areas, especially areas at risk of landslides, flash floods, and deep flooding; prevent flooding in low-lying areas and urban areas; have plans to arrange evacuation points to ensure safety, environmental sanitation, and disease prevention and control.

Arrange forces to control, support, and guide traffic safety, especially through culverts, spillways, deeply flooded areas, and fast-flowing water, to prevent human casualties.

Organize reinforcement to ensure safety for aquaculture areas, cages and rafts on rivers and coastal aquaculture ponds and lakes; have plans to protect livestock in safe livestock farms and protect unharvested crop areas.

Proactively provide food, necessities and necessities to people in areas at risk of being isolated due to deep flooding and landslides; urgently handle landslides on river banks and coastlines, and place warning signs of landslides and deep flooding. After floods, promptly organize to overcome the consequences of natural disasters, handle sanitation and the environment; and prevent possible epidemics.

Localities and units proactively deploy response work, focusing on directing and operating during the flood season from October 10-13, 2023 to ensure absolute safety for the drills in the defense and civil defense areas of Quang Tri province.

The Provincial People's Committee requests the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development and Industry and Trade, according to their assigned functions and tasks, to strengthen inspection, supervision, and direct owners of irrigation and hydropower dams to organize on-duty monitoring and strictly implement the approved Operation Procedures to ensure safety for the works and downstream areas.

The Department of Transport coordinates with localities to direct and implement traffic safety work, especially in areas at risk of deep flooding and landslides, and prepares vehicles, materials, and human resources to quickly repair traffic routes damaged by floods.

The Provincial Military Command, the Provincial Border Guard Command, and the Provincial Police proactively arrange forces and means to be ready to support the evacuation and relocation of people from dangerous areas, organize rescue when requested; coordinate with localities and related units to ensure absolute safety for the drills in the province's defense and civil defense areas.

The Department of Health coordinates with localities to direct and implement medical work, medical examination and treatment for people in flood areas, ensure environmental sanitation, and prevent and control epidemics during and after floods.

The Department of Information and Communications directs to ensure smooth communication to serve the direction and command of flood response of the Provincial Party Committee, Provincial People's Committee, Provincial Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control in all situations.

The Department of Education and Training regularly updates and grasps information on natural disaster developments to proactively deploy work to ensure safety for students and teachers.

Investors of projects under construction, especially coastal and riverside projects, must have plans to ensure safety for vehicles, materials, and construction equipment, and prevent human casualties.

The Provincial Radio and Television Station, Quang Tri Newspaper and mass media continue to monitor and report promptly and accurately on the developments of floods and storms, and the response work of authorities at all levels and sectors so that people know and proactively prevent them.

The Provincial Hydrometeorological Station and the Provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control regularly and closely monitor the developments of floods and storms, forecast and promptly inform the authorities to proactively respond appropriately to the actual situation.

Units and localities organize serious on-duty shifts, readying forces and means to respond to any possible bad weather developments.

The Provincial People's Committee requested localities to proactively evacuate people from dangerous areas, especially areas at risk of landslides and flash floods.

According to the report of the Standing Office of the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control of Quang Tri province, there are currently 126 dams and reservoirs for irrigation in Quang Tri province, including: 124 reservoirs (including 1 reservoir for irrigation combined with hydropower with a total storage capacity of 162,99,106 m3 and 123 reservoirs for irrigation with a total storage capacity of about 260,106 m3) and 2 dams; of the 126 dams and reservoirs, there are 14 large reservoirs, 1 large dam, 22 medium reservoirs, 88 small reservoirs and 1 small dam.

Up to now (October 10, 2023), the total capacity of key irrigation reservoirs has reached an average of about 37% of the design capacity. The water level of reservoirs in the province is operating safely.

To ensure the safety of lakes, dams and dykes before the 2023 flood season, up to now, localities and units have inspected, reviewed and assessed the current status of the works to detect and promptly fix, repair and renovate damages. At the same time, build, review and update disaster response plans, emergency response plans for works and downstream areas for lakes and dams; dyke protection plans in vulnerable areas for dykes and embankments to proactively respond when natural disasters occur.

Regarding the projects under construction, there are currently 10 dike and embankment projects under construction. The province has directed investors to review and update disaster prevention plans to ensure project safety during the rainy and stormy season.

The province also has about 1,500 hectares of upland rice that have not been harvested, including: Dakrong: 800 hectares; Huong Hoa district: 700 hectares (the unharvested area of the 2 mountainous districts, due to their characteristics, was sown later than the province's crop schedule).

There are about 5,300 hectares of cassava and various vegetables that have not been harvested, mainly concentrated in the province's delta region. The total aquaculture area in the province is 2,900 hectares and 10,600 m3 of cages and rafts have not been harvested. The Provincial People's Committee has directed localities to take measures to protect production and ensure safety for aquatic products to limit damage caused by floods.

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