Directive No. 40/2007/CT-BNN on Strengthening Flood and Storm Prevention Work and Search and Rescue Operations to Minimize Damage Caused by Natural Disasters

DIRECTIVE

On Strengthening Flood and Storm Prevention Work And Search and Rescue Operations to Minimize Damage Caused by Natural Disasters

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Pursuant to Directive No. 08/2007/CT-TTg dated April 3, 2007 of the Prime Minister on Strengthening Flood and Storm Prevention Work and Search and Rescue Operations to Minimize Damage Caused by Natural Disasters in 2007, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chairman of the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Search and Rescue Operations requests the Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities to implement the following contents:

1. In accordance with the directives of the Prime Minister, localities shall organize evaluations and draw lessons from flood and storm prevention work and search and rescue operations in 2006 to supplement and perfect plans for 2007; have plans to proactively prevent, combat, and promptly address emergencies when natural disasters, storms, and floods occur.

2. Vigorously carry out training, propaganda, and education down to ward and commune levels and to the people to enhance community awareness about storms, floods, flash floods, and other types of natural disasters; proactive preventive measures. The Office of the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Search and Rescue Operations has drafted a handbook titled "Guidelines for Flood and Storm Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Disasters." The draft content has compiled, summarized, and distilled experiences in directing and responding to natural disasters over recent years. It is requested that localities organize propaganda so that the people can implement it, while soliciting opinions from all levels of government and the people to gradually improve this draft. Special attention should be paid to training fishermen

and owners of fishing vessels on necessary knowledge to avoid storms.

Strengthen the Command for Flood and Storm Prevention and Search and Rescue at all levels, especially at the ward and commune level, to ensure effective operation.

3. For provinces and centrally governed cities with dykes, the following tasks shall be implemented:

4. a) Dyke management work:

- Strengthen inspection and urging completion of repair and maintenance projects of dykes before the rainy season according to schedule and quality standards.

For coastal provinces from Quang Ninh to Quang Nam, the Chairmen of Provincial People's Committees shall direct the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development to coordinate with localities and functional units to concentrate resources to accelerate the implementation of the Program to Consolidate and Upgrade Existing Coastal Dikes according to Decision No. 58/2006/QD-TTg dated March 14, 2006 of the Prime Minister; ensuring construction is solid wherever completed, gradually eliminating weak points, and enhancing planting of trees to block waves and grass to prevent erosion. Plans must be made to handle sections of dykes not yet consolidated and upgraded, ready to implement evacuation plans if required.

- Inspect and take measures to stop encroachment on riverbeds, riverbanks, dyke bodies, etc. Check compliance with permits issued by project sponsors for works permitted under laws on dykes. Firmly remove violations to ensure no impact on dyke safety, flood drainage, and inspection of dyke failures and organization of dyke protection.

b) Ensuring Safety of Dike-Crossing Weirs:

- Inspect and review the current status of all dike-crossing weirs to identify damages, based on which determine weirs that do not meet safety requirements and develop temporary or permanent closure plans to combat floods; simultaneously develop irrigation or drainage support plans to reduce impacts on production and livelihoods.

- Must have Procedures and operate according to Procedures for weirs during the flood season; clearly define responsibilities; closely coordinate between units and localities in implementing protective and handling plans for emergencies involving engineering works.

c) Proactively Prepare for Dike Protection:

- Based on comprehensive inspections and assessments of the current status of dikes, revetments, and weirs before floods, the People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities shall direct the preparation and approval of appropriate dike protection plans for local conditions.

- Ensure sufficient quantities and types of emergency materials for each dike line. In addition to existing state reserves, plans should mobilize materials from the public, including those of enterprises, agencies, and military forces stationed in the area. For critical sections of dikes, adequate soil reserves and corresponding sandbags and transport equipment must be prepared to avoid passivity during the flood season. Each household near critical dike areas must prepare at least two bags of soil (including bag and soil) for emergency use.

- Direct and organize drills for dike protection plans to check material readiness, manpower, equipment, techniques, command, and communication; promptly rectify deficiencies to make plans practical.

- Be ready to implement dike protection plans tailored to each line and key area according to the principle of "Four Localities." Closely cooperate with military forces stationed in the area to implement dike protection measures when large floods and storms occur, particularly plans to prevent overtopping.

- Develop proactive evacuation plans for residents in areas at risk of landslides, low-lying areas near rivers and coasts, and areas prone to flash floods and landslides.

- For provinces and centrally governed cities within flood diversion and delay zones, fully prepare conditions for flood diversion and delay. Ensure safety plans for residents; detail plans for relocating people and property from affected areas; inspect, review, and organize drills for plans to avoid passivity; prepare

dike protection plans for flood delay lines.

- For dike lines only retaining water up to specified levels, if water exceeds these levels, localities must proactively plan for evacuation of residents living in retention areas and allow water to enter retention areas to prevent sudden breaches.

Provinces in mountainous areas at risk of flash floods and landslides:

- For dike sections that only maintain the specified level, if floods exceed the specified level, localities must proactively plan for the evacuation of residents living in the affected areas and proactively allow water to enter the dikes to prevent sudden breaches.

5. Provinces in mountainous regions at risk of flash floods and landslides:

- Organize propaganda; raise the public's awareness to proactively prevent and avoid natural disasters; train and conduct drills for the vanguard forces of communes to perfect measures for handling situations when natural disasters occur.

- Organize inspections, reviews, statistics, and the installation of warning signs in residential areas that may be directly affected by flash floods, mud-rock floods, and landslides. From this, develop detailed prevention and avoidance plans for communes, villages, hamlets, and households; especially prepare thorough on-site plans for residential areas in remote, far-flung regions with a risk of being cut off during floods. Ensure the stockpiling of essential goods such as food, fuel, first aid medicines, epidemic prevention medicines, etc., and arrange support forces to handle potential adverse situations.

- For households living in areas with high risks of flash floods and landslides, it is imperative to direct and organize their immediate relocation to safe locations.

- The provincial hydro-meteorological center is responsible for guiding key cadres and the vanguard youth forces of communes in areas at risk of flash floods on the experience of monitoring rainfall to promptly issue warnings so that the public can proactively prevent and avoid such risks.

- Implement measures to strengthen management, protection, and restoration of forests, and afforestation in areas where flash floods are likely to occur.

- Integrate flood prevention contents when drafting overall planning for population distribution, production development, and infrastructure construction.

6Coastal provinces must organize well the communication system with fishing boats and vessels of their locality. Implement division of responsibilities and clearly define duties in managing fishing boats and vessels operating at sea during typhoons and tropical depressions. Inspect the registration of fishing boats and crew members at the village and commune level to accurately grasp the number of people, boats, and fishing grounds in operation. At the same time, take corrective actions and ensure compliance with safety regulations for boats going out to sea. Particularly, for distant-sea fishing vessels, there must be commitments to report their coordinates to the mainland when typhoons or tropical depressions occur. Develop rescue and relief plans at sea when typhoons, tropical depressions, and accidents happen.

7. Provinces in the Mekong Delta should summarize experiences in dealing with major floods in the past to develop response plans and measures for major floods, ensuring the safety of children in flooded areas; organize centralized childcare points, boats to transport children to school; plan seasonal production activities, protect infrastructure, and ensure normal operations in urban and densely populated areas. In areas with deep flooding, local authorities must have evacuation plans, organize inspections of preparations for life support during prolonged deep flooding.