Tam Dao proactively prepares for and combats floods and storms, and conducts search and rescue operations.

As a mountainous district with complex terrain, Tam Dao district often experiences flooding, flash floods, and landslides during the rainy season, especially in the areas at the foot of Tam Dao mountain and downstream of large reservoirs. To minimize damage caused by floods, the district has developed plans and strategies to respond to and handle natural disasters and incidents, ensuring the safety of the reservoir and dam system, and is determined to prevent loss of life and property during the rainy season.

Workers of Tam Dao Irrigation Company Limited operate and maintain the spillway of Xa Huong reservoir, ready to respond to stormy weather. Photo: Chu Kieu

Tam Dao District comprises 9 communes and towns, of which 4 are located in areas at risk of landslides, flash floods, and mudslides: Yen Duong, Dao Tru, Minh Quang, and Dai Dinh. The district has 22 inter-district and inter-commune drainage channels managed by the Provincial People's Committee; 25 small reservoirs and dams managed by the district and province; 5 pumping stations managed by the District People's Committee; and 17 embankments and dams with over 363 km of irrigation canals.

In particular, the area has 5 large reservoirs, including Xa Huong reservoir (Level I project); Dong Mo reservoir (Level II project) and 3 Level III reservoirs including Vinh Thanh, Lang Ha and Ban Long reservoirs managed by Tam Dao Irrigation Company Limited, along with dozens of spillway dams and drainage canals managed by communes and towns.

In recent years, thanks to the State's investment and the mobilization of local funds, the canal system, reservoirs, embankments, dams, and irrigation canals in the district have been renovated and upgraded, especially the headworks and spillways; the spillways themselves have been upgraded and reinforced with concrete in critical sections. However, because the spillways still do not adequately handle the drainage needs, heavy rains and floods cause inundation, hindering traffic and making travel difficult, and even causing accidents for road users.

To proactively cope with storms and minimize losses of life and property when floods occur, starting in April 2025, the People's Committee of Tam Dao district has strengthened the Flood and Storm Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue Command at all levels; directed the District Department of Agriculture and Environment and the People's Committees of communes and towns to inspect, review, and assess the current state of the reservoir and dam systems under local management, especially those with spillways; coordinated with Tam Dao Irrigation Company Limited to plan, repair, replace, and build new embankments, reinforce the surface of reservoirs and dams; maintain pumping station equipment, and clear waterways and sluice gates. The inspection and review process promptly detects and addresses landslides and water-filled erosion on the surface that pose a danger to people and vehicles participating in traffic.

Following the "four on-site" principle, the District People's Committee directed each commune and town to establish a local rapid response force of 100-150 people; Tam Dao town alone has 30 people regularly present in the locality to be ready to respond in case of emergency. At the same time, each commune prepared a reserve land area near the road with a capacity of 120 m³ or more; 130 m³ of crushed stone; 2-5 transport vehicles; 2,500-3,000 sandbags... In addition, each household prepared at least 2 sandbags, along with hoes and shovels, ready to respond when ordered.

For vulnerable areas in the three communes and towns of Minh Quang, Yen Duong, and Dai Dinh, regular monitoring and inspection will be conducted, supplies will be stockpiled on-site, and manpower will be prepared to handle flash floods and landslides when heavy or prolonged rainfall poses a risk of house collapse and threatens people's lives. Evacuation plans to neighboring communes will be prepared based on addresses surveyed at the beginning of the rainy season.

By early June, Yen Duong commune had prepared sufficient materials and supplies according to the district's plan, including establishing a 30-person rapid response team and allocating 180 million VND for disaster prevention and rescue work; Dai Dinh town had allocated 639 million VND, of which 51 million VND was for rebuilding the public address system that collapsed due to storms; and Minh Quang commune had allocated over 115 million VND along with local manpower and materials according to the plan assigned by Tam Dao district.

In addition, the district proactively coordinates with Tam Dao Irrigation Company Limited to review, manage, exploit, and protect the irrigation system, especially the five large reservoirs in the area including Xa Huong, Dong Mo, Vinh Thanh, Lang Ha, and Ban Long, along with smaller reservoirs; dams across streams, irrigation canals, and drainage canals, with plans for reinforcement and repair to ensure safety in the event of prolonged heavy rain and floods.

Comrade Nguyen Thi Xuan Phuong, Head of the Agriculture and Environment Department and Deputy Head of the Flood and Storm Prevention and Search and Rescue Command Board of Tam Dao district, said: “To ensure effective flood and storm prevention and search and rescue work, minimizing damage to people and property, the Flood and Storm Prevention and Search and Rescue Command Board of the district has assigned members to be in charge of specific areas, with 24/7 duty during peak days; for communes at risk of flooding and landslides, specific plans must be reported to the District Command Board before May 2025.”

When storms occur, daily updates on the situation must be reported to the District Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control so that the District People's Committee leaders can proactively mobilize resources and materials according to the "4 on-the-spot" and "5 ready" principles.

In early June 2024, the Chairman of the District People's Committee and members of the District Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control conducted on-site inspections in three localities at risk of flash floods during heavy rains: Yen Duong, Dai Dinh, and Minh Quang. The inspections promptly identified problems, directed local authorities to rectify them effectively, and ensured readiness for an efficient response to floods.

Xuan Hung

Source: http://baovinhphuc.com.vn/Multimedia/Images/Id/129535/Tam-Dao-chu-dong-phong-chong-lut-bao-va-tim-kiem-cuu-nan