Synchronously deploy disaster prevention measures

Provincial and Bac Yen district leaders surveyed the landslide risk area in Ta Xua commune, Bac Yen district.

Many damages due to natural disasters

From 2024 to early 2025, Son La was continuously affected by many types of natural disasters such as heavy rain causing flooding, flash floods, landslides; heat waves, droughts, storms, and hailstorms on a large scale. Natural disasters caused heavy damage to people and property, seriously affecting people's lives and socio- economic development, especially in Thuan Chau, Muong La, Mai Son, Moc Chau, Phu Yen, Van Ho, Song Ma districts and Son La city.

In 2024, natural disasters caused serious damage in the province: 14 people died, 1 person went missing, 13 people were injured; more than 12,800 houses were affected; over 8,300 hectares of rice, seedlings, vegetables, fruit trees and perennial trees were damaged; more than 18,700 livestock and poultry died; over 368 hectares of aquaculture were damaged. Many traffic routes, power systems, 325 irrigation and water supply works, 109 schools, 5 cultural houses and 6 medical facilities were damaged. The total damage was estimated at over 1,045 billion VND. Storm No. 2 and the circulation of storm No. 3 at the end of July alone killed 11 people, injured 6 people; 252 houses had to be urgently evacuated, 117 houses were severely damaged, and 935 houses were flooded.

It is forecasted that in 2025, extreme weather will continue to develop complicatedly. Heat waves will remain high but it is unlikely to surpass the record of 2024. The East Sea may see 11-13 storms, of which 5-6 will directly affect the mainland; the risk of strong storms of level 12 or higher remains high. Since the beginning of 2025, the whole province has experienced 4 prolonged cold spells, 1 heat wave and 4 thunderstorms, lightning and hail, causing 6 casualties; 307 houses had their roofs blown off or damaged; over 200 hectares of crops were affected. The total estimated damage is nearly 4 billion VND.

Community Capacity Building

Proactively responding to natural disasters in 2025, the Civil Defense Command Committees at all levels in the province have been strengthened, maintained effective operations, and clearly assigned tasks and responsibilities to each member. The organizational structure has been consolidated, and a plan for revenue and expenditure of the Natural Disaster Prevention and Control Fund has been developed according to the provisions of Decree 63/2025/ND-CP. The Provincial People's Committee has also issued a natural disaster response plan to ensure proactive and timely response to all situations, reduce damage to people, property and production; quickly overcome consequences, and stabilize people's lives.

Ms. Le Thi Thu Hang, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Chief of the Standing Office of the Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control, said: The Steering Committees at all levels have promoted the application of technology and digital transformation in direction and operation. Disaster forecast and warning information is conveyed through visual illustrations, helping people, especially in remote areas, to easily understand and raise awareness of the danger of natural disasters, helping people to proactively respond and minimize damage.

Officers and soldiers of Ta Xua commune, Bac Yen district, support people in moving their assets out of areas at risk of landslides in 2024.

The propaganda work on natural disaster prevention continues to be promoted in many forms such as: Broadcasting on the Provincial Radio - Television Station, Voice of Vietnam; opening special pages and columns on Son La Newspaper; radio systems of communes and villages. The Facebook and Zalo pages of the Standing Office of the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control are maintained, regularly updating warning information and providing instructions on natural disaster prevention skills. At the same time, the province also focuses on investing and equipping more specialized equipment from the budget and mobilizing support from organizations and individuals.

In 2025, the Northwest Hydrometeorological Station will continue to effectively operate 114 monitoring stations under its management, along with 45 automatic rain gauges and 5 manual stations for measuring water levels and warning of floods subscribed by the Provincial Civil Defense Command. The unit strictly implements the forecasting process, closely monitors weather developments, promptly warns of dangerous phenomena with a forecast time of 24-48 hours, effectively serving the disaster prevention and control work of localities. The news is broadcast fully and promptly on radio and television and sent to the Provincial PCTT-TKCN Command and localities to serve the response direction.

Ms. Dinh Thi Thu Ha, Permanent Vice Chairwoman of Phu Yen District People's Committee, said: The district always identifies improving the capacity of natural disaster prevention in the community as an important factor to minimize damage. Therefore, the district actively implements the Provincial Plan on the Project "Raising community awareness and community-based natural disaster risk management" for the period 2021-2025, to enhance response capacity right at the grassroots level.

Phu Yen district leaders inspect the drought and water shortage situation for production.

Flexibly implement "4 on-site"

Localities flexibly apply the "4 on-site" motto, suitable to the specific conditions of each household and each region. At the same time, promote the role of grassroots shock troops and the experience of village and hamlet chiefs to minimize damage caused by natural disasters, especially in areas that are easily isolated. In addition, communes are also required to strengthen and improve the capacity of shock troops for natural disaster prevention and control according to Directive No. 18/CT-TTg dated July 9, 2021.

Discussing this work, Ms. Trinh Thi Phuong, Vice Chairwoman of Bac Yen District People's Committee, shared: In the plan for natural disaster prevention and control, cultural houses of groups, villages, sub-areas, and headquarters of educational institutions in the district continue to be arranged as evacuation sites when natural disasters occur. We direct the competent authorities to guide and encourage people to be proactive in responding, detecting risks and promptly evacuating from areas at risk of landslides and flash floods. At the same time, promote the role of the commune disaster prevention and control shock team, proactively participating in response activities and overcoming consequences as soon as natural disasters occur.

People's Committee of Muong Thai commune, Phu Yen district, inspected the progress of housing construction at Khoai Lang 2 resettlement site.

Up to this point, localities have been actively and proactively mobilizing resources, purchasing equipment for disaster prevention, control, rescue, implementing training, improving response skills, and handling incidents for on-site forces. Organizing timely guidance on specific, appropriate solutions in the short and long term for each area and each damaged object, in which priority is given to restoring agricultural production and disaster prevention and control works towards better reconstruction for sustainable development...

For irrigation systems, before the flood season, the province has directed specialized agencies to inspect the safety status of dams and reservoirs; develop emergency response plans. Implement reservoir operation procedures in accordance with regulations. Prepare human resources, equipment, materials, etc. to respond to unsafe situations of dams according to approved plans.

This year's flood season has arrived, localities across the province have proactively implemented synchronous measures, striving to minimize damage when natural disasters occur.

 

Source: https://baosonla.vn/xa-hoi/trien-khai-dong-bo-cac-bien-phap-phong-chong-thien-tai-LUYr6HaHg.html