Can Tho City promotes flood and landslide prevention project

Every year, Can Tho City is affected by many natural disasters and climate change (CC), with frequent occurrences such as flooding due to high tides, riverbank erosion, etc. This situation not only affects production, business, and traffic, but also threatens human life and health and pollutes the urban environment. The Can Tho City Development Project and the Enhancement of Urban Resilience is one of the solutions to prevent and combat flooding, protect the core urban area, and the city's key economic zones, which has contributed to preventing the above situation. This project is in great need of support to expand solutions to respond to CC in the coming time.

The Cai Khe boat lock and tide-prevention sluice system under Project 3 has been completed and put into use, limiting urban flooding caused by high tides.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment (DARD) of Can Tho City, every year during high tides, many areas in Can Tho City are flooded with a common depth of 0.3m to 1m (depending on the area and time). In recent years, flooding in the city has become increasingly serious over a large area, with frequent occurrences, higher levels of flooding and longer durations, causing great impacts and obstacles to many economic and social activities of the city, especially traffic, business, education and training, agricultural production, environmental sanitation and urban landscape... To limit the above situation, Can Tho City has implemented the Can Tho City Development Project and enhanced urban adaptability according to Decision No. 27/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister. Up to now, the project has been completed and has been effective.

Mr. Huynh Van Hien, in Hung Loi ward, Ninh Kieu district, Can Tho city, said: “As a resident living in the central area of Can Tho city, directly benefiting from the above project, we are very happy and excited. The Can Tho river embankment system, bridges and roads were built, contributing to the completion of infrastructure and urban beautification of the city. In particular, the system of boat locks and tidal sluices under the project has been completed and put into use, ending the situation of flooding, wading, and vehicle stalling every time the tide rises. We really hope that this project will continue to be expanded to other districts (besides Ninh Kieu) so that the people of the city can benefit from this project.”

The Can Tho City Development and Urban Resilience Project (Project 3) has a total investment of nearly VND 9,200 billion (equivalent to more than USD 402 million). Of which, the World Bank (WB) loan is more than VND 5,697 billion (accounting for more than 62%), non-refundable aid from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs is 10 million USD; domestic counterpart capital is more than VND 3,378 billion. The project will be implemented in the period of 2016-2024. The goal is to protect the core urban area of Can Tho City from prolonged flooding, promoting safe and environmentally friendly urban development.

Mr. Bui Thai Thuong, Director of the Management Board of Projects Using Official Development Assistance (ODA) Capital of Can Tho City, said that by the end of June 2024 (the end of the disbursement period), the project had disbursed more than VND 7,587 billion, equivalent to more than 82% of the total project volume. The project has 4 goals that have been achieved and exceeded the plan, including helping about 2,675 hectares, with more than 442,600 people in the urban core area (Ninh Kieu district) benefit from flood protection thanks to embankments, tidal sluices, pumping stations, such as: 5.2km of embankments along Can Tho River and Khai Luong River; 10 tidal sluices and 2 boat locks, of which Cai Khe and Hang Bang boat locks have just been completed; renovating the drainage system for 32 inner-city roads, exceeding the set target by 28%, and an automatic control system, real-time monitoring based on SCADA technology, allowing flexible operation of sluice gates and pumps.

Through Project 3, Can Tho City also invests in building key urban traffic routes to orient development towards higher and safer areas; at the same time, improving people's daily mobility, including completing unit 2 of Quang Trung Bridge (and renovating unit 1); completing Tran Hoang Na Bridge; building and upgrading 5.3km of roads including important connecting routes from Cach Mang Thang 8 Street to Provincial Road 918, contributing to reducing traffic congestion and opening up low-risk development corridors.

Recently, at a working session with the People's Committee of Can Tho City on Project 3 and discussing opportunities to enhance cooperation between the WB, the Swiss Government and Can Tho City in the coming time, Ms. Mariam J. Sherman, WB Country Director in Vietnam, suggested that Can Tho City ensure sustainable operation of Project 3, contributing to promoting local socio-economic development, and at the same time replicating the project's experience to other localities. If there is an opportunity, Can Tho can demonstrate and share with other cities in Vietnam the implementation process and successes of Project 3 so that other localities can learn and share experiences from Can Tho.

According to the WB Country Director in Vietnam, in recent times, the WB has not only provided financial support but also provided technical expertise worldwide through its partners. Regarding Project 4 - Can Tho City Development Expansion and Urban Resilience Project, Ms. Mariam J. Sherman said that the project is in the preparation process and the WB hopes to continue to support Can Tho City in implementing the project in the coming time.

Also at the meeting, Mr. Thomas Gass, Ambassador of Switzerland to Vietnam, said that the project not only helps Can Tho develop infrastructure, better flood prevention, but also aims towards smart urban development, future development, water management, flood risk management, and climate change prevention. Thereby, contributing to the sustainable development of Can Tho City in the face of the impacts of climate change and actions to respond to it.

Mr. Thomas Gass also added that during his field trip to the Mekong Delta, he realized the complexity of water resource management in this area. The investments of Project 3 not only help protect the core urban area of Can Tho City but also help retain fresh water for the Mekong Delta through smart technologies. This project is very necessary to be expanded in the future.

On behalf of the People's Committee of Can Tho City, Mr. Nguyen Thuc Hien sent his sincere thanks to Mr. Thomas Gass, Ms. Mariam J. Sherman and the working group and experts of the WB for supporting Can Tho City in implementing the above project. The Can Tho City Development and Urban Resilience Project has contributed to improving the environment, developing technical infrastructure, responding to climate change, maximizing the city's potential, contributing to making Can Tho City a worthy developed city under the Central Government, a regional center of the Mekong Delta region, sustainable development, in accordance with the WB's criteria...

Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee Nguyen Thuc Hien also said that the city will develop a plan to train staff to operate the technologies of Project 3 in the most effective way. At the same time, he hopes that the WB and the Swiss Government, organizations and enterprises will continue to pay attention and support the city in implementing climate change response projects in the coming time, especially Project 4 - Project to expand the development of Can Tho City and enhance the adaptability of the city to other districts of Can Tho City...

Article and photos: HA VAN

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/tp-can-tho-phat-huy-du-an-chong-ngap-sat-lo-a185226.html