Directive No. 58/2006/CT-BNN on implementing certain measures to prevent and avoid flash floods in mountainous localities

DIRECTIVE

On implementing certain measures to prevent and mitigate flash floods

in mountainous localities

__________________

In recent years, in the mountainous regions of various provinces, floods, landslides, particularly flash floods and mud-rock flows, have repeatedly occurred, causing significant losses in terms of human lives, property, infrastructure, and environmental damage.

To proactively prevent, avoid, and minimize losses caused by flash floods, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development requests the Chairpersons of People's Committees in mountainous provinces to implement the following contents:

1. Strengthening the Command for Flood and Storm Control - Search and Rescue at all levels, especially at the commune level, to ensure effective management of flood and storm control operations; inspecting information assurance plans to enhance command and control effectiveness and implementation of preventive and mitigating measures for natural disasters.

2. Organizing thorough inspections and reviews, and statistics on residential areas, villages, hamlets, settlements, and households living in areas directly affected by flash floods, mud-rock flows, and landslides (areas near rivers, streams, lowlands, slopes of transportation systems, thin surface soil layers prone to landslides, downstream areas of water reservoir dams...). Based on this, developing detailed plans for preventing and mitigating flash floods and landslides down to communes, villages, hamlets, settlements, and households; especially preparing local contingency plans for remote and isolated areas with high risk of isolation during floods, ensuring reserves of essential items such as food, fuel, medical supplies, and epidemic prevention materials, and arranging support forces to handle potential emergencies.

3. Immediately setting up warning signs in areas at risk of flash floods and landslides, promptly informing each household about these risks to enable proactive prevention and avoidance. For households residing in areas with high risk of flash floods and landslides, it is imperative to decisively direct and organize their relocation to safe locations according to planned population dispersal schemes.

4. Assigning the Provincial Hydro-meteorological Center to guide key cadres and young volunteer forces in vulnerable areas on rainfall monitoring experiences to timely issue warnings so that the public can be informed and take proactive measures.

5. Closely coordinating with military forces stationed in the area, organizing training sessions for local volunteer forces to raise awareness about flash floods and natural disasters, and conducting inspections to improve response measures when disasters occur; organizing drills to enhance the public's proactive prevention and avoidance awareness and the command and control capabilities of authorities and the Command for Flood and Storm Control - Search and Rescue at all levels.

6. Directing enhanced management, protection, and restoration of forests in areas susceptible to flash floods.

7. Integrating flash flood prevention and mitigation measures into overall planning for residential layout, production development, infrastructure construction, and implementation guidance. Initially focusing on integrating these measures into programs such as poverty alleviation, economic and social development in extremely difficult communes, planting five million hectares of new forests, and other programs in the region.

8. Assigning mass media agencies to closely cooperate with specialized agencies to carry out publicity and dissemination of knowledge and experiences regarding flash flood and disaster prevention and mitigation.

THE MINISTER

      (Signed)


Cao Duc Phat