Another valuable lesson on promoting the strength of the entire political system to respond to natural disasters

Storm No. 3 with its hurricane force has passed, fortunately the storm did not make direct landfall and no major damage was recorded in the province. However, the response to Storm No. 3 has affirmed the province's capacity for natural disaster prevention and control with a unified command system, effective forces, and high awareness among the people in natural disaster prevention and control. These are important factors contributing to ensuring the safety of the people and state assets in the next storms.

Border Guard forces were mobilized to reinforce the Binh Minh 3 dike (Kim Son) to proactively prevent and combat storm No. 3. Photo: Truong Giang

Mobilizing the power of the entire political system

Storm No. 3 (international name Yagi) is recorded as the fastest-intensifying storm in history, moving rapidly into the Gulf of Tonkin and the storm's center is forecast to be in Quang Ninh and Hai Phong . Ninh Binh is also one of the provinces forecast to be affected by strong winds and heavy rain.

Faced with the risk of the super typhoon's impact, the Provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue (PCTT&TKCN) held an urgent meeting to deploy specific response plans. The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee issued 3 telegrams to direct all levels and sectors in the province to deploy tasks and promptly respond to actual situations that arise. The entire political system has joined in with a proactive and positive motto.

The Provincial Party Standing Committee has issued an official dispatch directing Party committees, authorities and the entire political system of the province to urgently and effectively implement the key tasks set out. The Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial Party Standing Committee, leaders of the Provincial People's Committee and the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee directly went to key areas to lead, direct, urge and inspect storm prevention and control work.

Along with that, implementing the telegrams of the Government , the Provincial People's Committee, all levels, sectors, and media agencies have strengthened the work of informing about the developments and dangerous and complicated nature of storm No. 3. Propagating to all cadres, party members, civil servants, public employees, workers, the business community and the People to clearly understand the level of danger caused by storm No. 3; avoiding the mindset of leaving the storm prevention and control work to the authorities; grasping the developments of the storm situation and proactively implementing effective storm prevention and control measures, ensuring to minimize the damage caused by the storm. Actively organizing close monitoring of forecast information, developments of storms, rain, and floods, promptly directing and implementing response work according to the motto "4 on-site".

Districts and cities have proactively issued documents and telegrams on responding to storm No. 3; established teams to review key vulnerable areas, irrigation works, unfinished construction works and agricultural production. The mobilization of forces, means and other resources was carried out quickly and promptly.

In Kim Son district, a coastal locality, from 7 p.m. on September 5, the district's Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control deployed control teams at Con Noi Border Station; sluices of Binh Minh 3 and Binh Minh 4 dykes and the road to Con Noi; fired storm warning flares, notified fishermen to temporarily stop fishing and arrange for boats to anchor and take shelter. Dispatched forces to patrol, guard and protect the dykes, especially at key key works in the district.

By 3:00 p.m. on September 6, all 347 workers/218 huts from Binh Minh 3 dike to Con Mo; more than 2,300 people/more than 1,400 households farming aquatic products from Binh Minh 2 dike to Binh Minh 3 dike had been safely relocated to Binh Minh 2 dike. Along with that, 55 vessels and boats were brought to the anchorage.

In Nho Quan district, the province's key flood-prone area, the entire district has more than 100 km of river dykes, embankments and nearly 40 large and small lakes. Therefore, to ensure safety, the district has inspected, reviewed and implemented dike protection plans; plans to protect key vulnerable areas, especially locations where incidents have occurred but have not been handled or remedied; and unfinished constructions following the "4 on-site" motto to proactively and readily respond to the impact of storm No. 3.

In Gia Vien district, where many important industrial parks and clusters of the province are concentrated, the issue of flood drainage in these areas is a top priority for the locality. To cope with storms and floods, the local government has closely coordinated with the Irrigation Works Exploitation Company Limited and the Provincial Industrial Parks Management Board to proactively develop plans to coordinate and reserve power sources to serve the smooth operation of 3 flood drainage pumping stations in the industrial parks, promptly draining water, ensuring safety for the production activities of enterprises.

With the close guidance of Party committees, authorities and functional agencies, the people in the province have actively participated in storm prevention and control. Households have proactively reinforced their houses, collected outdoor items, and prepared food and provisions. Civil defense forces, youth and women have actively participated in patrolling, guarding and supporting people to be ready to respond when the storm hits.

Lessons learned and tasks set

At noon and afternoon on September 7, storm No. 3 made landfall. Although it did not directly affect Ninh Binh province, the province still had winds of level 7 and 8, gusts of level 9 and 10. The rainfall from 7:00 p.m. on September 5 to 6:00 a.m. on September 8 fluctuated around 200 mm. After the storm, thousands of trees and fruit trees were broken, fell, and tilted, more than 500 hectares of rice were damaged (of which 178 hectares of ripening rice were damaged in Yen Mo and Nho Quan districts, with 366 hectares); 65 hectares of vegetables were crushed in Nho Quan, Yen Khanh, and Ninh Binh city. In general, up to this point, no major damage has been recorded, and people's lives and property have been kept safe. This was achieved thanks to the proactive and determined spirit, careful preparation, and smooth coordination of forces in responding to the storm.

Also through storm No. 3, it has been affirmed that the work of responding to natural disasters in the province has had great changes, from passive response to proactive prevention and remote prevention. In the actual situation of the storm, localities have well implemented the "4 on-site" motto; at the same time, smoothly operated the mechanism of Party leadership, Government management, agencies, departments and branches advising; promoted the spirit of responsibility and community responsibility. The command system is unified, the forces operate effectively, and the people have high awareness in preventing and fighting natural disasters. These are important factors contributing to ensuring the safety of people's lives and property in the next natural disasters that may occur.

Despite many positive results, the post-storm flood situation is still complicated. The risk of flash floods and landslides remains high. Therefore, localities need to continue to maintain a state of readiness, regularly inspect and review irrigation works and systems to promptly detect and handle incidents.

The successful response to storm No. 3 is a valuable lesson. It shows the importance of natural disaster prevention and control and the solidarity of the entire political system and the people. In the coming time, Ninh Binh province will continue to improve its capacity to prevent and control natural disasters, ensure people's safety and socio-economic development.

The immediate task is to continue to closely monitor the circulation of storm No. 3, the rain and flood situation after the storm. Mobilize maximum pumping stations to drain water in case of heavy rain. Check the areas at risk of incidents in the area, prepare forces, vehicles and materials to respond.

Sectors and localities continue to review and summarize damages and report to competent authorities according to regulations. Increase staff to go to the grassroots to guide technical measures to restore production due to the impact of storms and floods. Strengthen the work of estimating and forecasting the occurrence of harmful pests such as brown planthoppers, white-backed planthoppers, stem borers, leaf rollers, leaf blight, bacterial stripe spots, etc. after storms to have timely and effective prevention measures, minimizing the impact of pests and diseases on agricultural production.

Song Nguyen