Deploying the 112 switchboard system to receive information about incidents, natural disasters, and catastrophes

Deploying the 112 switchboard system to receive information about incidents, natural disasters, and catastrophes - Photo 1.

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The army searched and rescued more than 2,000 cases, saving 1,721 people.

Major General Pham Hai Chau, Deputy Director of the Department of Rescue and Relief (General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army) said that since the beginning of 2025, incidents, natural disasters and accidents have occurred abnormally and extremely in many forms across the country. Some serious natural disasters have occurred such as storms, tropical depressions, floods, inundations, droughts, saltwater intrusion, landslides and land subsidence in the northern mountainous provinces and the North Central region.

Storm No. 1 and historic, unseasonal, irregular floods in the Central provinces from June 10-14, 2025; Storm No. 3 (Wipha) with strong intensity and fast movement directly affects coastal provinces from Quang Ninh to Thanh Hoa, focusing on Hung Yen and Ninh Binh provinces with intensity of level 8-9, gusting to level 11 from July 21-23, 2025.

Fires, forest fires, and boat accidents at sea occur frequently and are increasingly serious, such as the capsize of the tourist boat Blue Bay 58 in Quang Ninh on July 19, 2025.

From the beginning of the year to July 20, 2025, there were 3,154 incidents, natural disasters, and accidents nationwide, killing 389 people, leaving 144 missing; 347 injured; 450 vehicles sunk, burned, or damaged; 818 houses, factories, and 1,458 hectares of forest burned; 3,433 houses collapsed, damaged, or had their roofs blown off; 92,688 hectares of rice and crops damaged; 88,226 m3 of soil and rock collapsed; 23,869 livestock and poultry died; and 2,249 m3 of oil spilled.

In particular, recently when storm No. 3 made landfall in the provinces from Ninh Binh to Thanh Hoa, the Army mobilized more than 346,000 officers and soldiers, and more than 8,200 vehicles to participate in prevention, control, and search and rescue. The Border Guard coordinated with localities, families, and boat owners to notify, count, and guide more than 54,000 vehicles and more than 227,000 people to know the developments and direction of the storm so that they could proactively move and avoid the dangerous area.

The Military Commands of the provinces and cities of Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, and Ninh Binh coordinated with functional forces to evacuate 957 households with 6,000 people in old, degraded, and dangerous apartment buildings and houses to safe places before the storm made landfall.

Regarding the capsized tourist boat Blue Bay 58 in Ha Long area, Quang Ninh province, the Army mobilized 293 officers and soldiers to mobilize forces and vehicles to coordinate with other forces to rescue 10 people, retrieve 37 bodies, and salvage the damaged ship. Currently, 2 victims are still missing.

Improve the quality of forecasting and warning of natural disasters and catastrophes

Regarding the tasks from now until the end of 2025, the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army has requested the forces to continue to coordinate to improve the quality of forecasting and warning of natural disasters and catastrophes, ensuring the requirements of early, timely and accurate forecasting of natural disasters and catastrophes, especially types of natural disasters that frequently occur and cause great damage such as storms, floods, flash floods, landslides; promptly informing local authorities and people to proactively respond.

Along with that, agencies and units organize, direct, command and effectively implement the response to major natural disasters and catastrophes; maintain strict on-duty, closely monitor weather conditions and natural disaster developments, strengthen inspection, supervision and timely advice so that steering committees and command boards at all levels are ready to respond to incidents, natural disasters and catastrophes, and minimize damage; deploy the construction of the 112 switchboard system to receive information on incidents, natural disasters and catastrophes nationwide.

In addition to prioritizing resources for investment in facilities and equipment for command and control, agencies and units organize training, drills, exercises, response to natural disasters, catastrophes and search and rescue according to situations and plans; research and innovate methods of training and civil defense drills combined with realistic defense area drills.

Phuong Lien

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/trien-khai-he-thong-tong-dai-112-tiep-nhan-thong-tin-su-co-thien-tai-tham-hoa-102250723204407872.htm