Directive No. 808/CT-TTg on flood, storm prevention and rescue work in 2010

DIRECTIVE

On flood, storm prevention and rescue work in 2010

Since the beginning of 2010, natural disasters have shown unusual patterns, with prolonged drought over a wide area, landslides, flash floods, tornadoes, hailstorms in northern mountainous and midland provinces and North Central Vietnam, causing significant losses of life and property. The forecast for 2010 indicates extreme weather trends, with a number of typhoons operating in the East Sea at a level similar to 2009, higher average temperatures throughout the year, severe heatwaves, localized heavy rainfall, and peak flood levels in rivers in the Central and Central Highlands regions trending towards being larger.

To proactively implement measures for flood, storm prevention and rescue operations, minimizing losses of life and property of the people and the state, the Prime Minister requests the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Rescue, the National Search and Rescue Committee, relevant ministries, sectors, and provincial People's Committees under the central government to perform the following tasks:

1. Ministries, sectors, and localities must consolidate and improve the organization of the Steering Committee, Command for Flood and Storm Prevention and Rescue at all levels from central to local according to Decree No. 14/2010/NĐ-CP dated February 27, 2010 of the Government on the organization, tasks, powers, and coordination mechanisms of the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Rescue, and the Command for Flood and Storm Prevention and Rescue and Search and Rescue of ministries, sectors, and localities.

Continue to implement the Action Program to realize the Strategy for Disaster Prevention, Mitigation, and Reduction until 2020, proactively integrating disaster prevention, climate change adaptation, and sea-level rise mitigation tasks into economic and social development programs of ministries, sectors, and localities. Organize propaganda to raise community awareness about various types of natural disasters and preventive measures; supplement knowledge and disseminate experience in disaster prevention and mitigation, flood, and storm response for newly appointed officials responsible for these areas.

2. Provincial People's Committees and centrally governed city People's Committees:

a) Proactively relocate households living in dangerous areas (areas frequently flooded, high-risk areas for flash floods, landslides) to new safe resettlement locations; in cases where long-term resettlement has not been organized, specific plans must be prepared, personnel and equipment must be ready to evacuate residents when natural disasters occur. Arrange leadership and specialized staff to monitor, inspect, and urge the implementation of disaster prevention and mitigation work in key areas. Effectively implement the principle of self-reliance, proactively stockpile food, medicine, and essential supplies down to each village and commune, especially in areas often cut off during floods, allocate equipment, materials, and funds to the district level. Urgently repair the aftermath of typhoons and floods, repair and restore essential facilities damaged in 2009 to prepare for typhoons and floods in 2010. Proactively mobilize local resources as prescribed to effectively carry out disaster prevention, mitigation, and rescue operations within their jurisdiction.

b) Coastal provinces and cities must direct inspections and urging the progress of implementing repairs, upgrades, maintenance, and construction of river embankments, revetments, culverts, and other protective works to ensure completion on schedule and timely operation against floods and storms in 2010. Identify priorities, develop priority protection plans, and plans for mobilizing forces, materials, and equipment for emergency embankment rescue operations when incidents occur.

c) Coastal provinces and cities must accelerate the implementation of the program to reinforce and upgrade coastal embankments according to assigned capital plans; ensure that weak sections of coastal embankments are reinforced and upgraded before the 2010 rainy season; organize management, registration, and inspection of fishing vessels according to the classification level; coordinate with border guard forces along the coast to strictly check the installation of communication equipment, life-saving devices, and safety equipment on fishing vessels as prescribed; when there are typhoons or tropical depressions, accurately grasp the number of fishing vessels and fishermen from their own locality operating at sea or on rivers to guide them to move to safe shelters.

d) Mountainous and midland provinces must organize the implementation of warning measures in areas with high risk of flash floods and landslides, equip communication devices and information transmission tools to villages and hamlets to serve warning and search and rescue operations in emergencies. Proactively relocate households living in areas with high risk of flash floods and landslides to new safe resettlement locations.

đ) Localities with water reservoirs: conduct inspections of the safety level of water reservoirs within their jurisdiction, develop plans to ensure the safety of key facilities and downstream residents, arrange personnel and equipment to be ready for dam rescue operations in case of incidents; Coordinate and instruct the operation of water reservoirs within their jurisdiction according to approved procedures, if the procedures are not suitable, propose modifications, effectively utilize the multi-purpose functions of water reservoirs, particularly participating in flood reduction for downstream areas and maintaining flow during the dry season.

e) The People's Committee of Hanoi City directs relevant functional agencies of the city to cooperate with related ministries and sectors to develop specific plans for flood and storm prevention, dike safety, especially to prevent flooding due to heavy rain, ensuring the successful organization of the 1000th anniversary celebration of Thang Long - Hanoi.

3. The Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Rescue:

a) Coordinate with the National Search and Rescue Committee to form working groups to inspect the implementation of preparatory work for flood and storm prevention and rescue operations in 2010 in localities, particularly inspecting the preparation of plans to ensure dike safety, reservoir safety, and the allocation of materials, equipment, and essential supplies according to the principle of self-reliance. Organize training on technical skills for flood and storm prevention and rescue for specialized forces and county-level cadres. Assign specific tasks to members of the Steering Committee.

b) Implement the Regulation on Earthquake Reporting and Tsunami Warning and the Regulation on Earthquake and Tsunami Prevention and Response; coordinate with the National Search and Rescue Committee to organize disaster prevention and response drills.

4. The National Search and Rescue Committee shall proactively inspect the quantity and types of equipment and materials for search and rescue currently available at regional centers, provinces, and centrally governed cities. It shall submit to the Prime Minister for approval and timely provision of essential equipment and facilities to relevant ministries, sectors, and localities before the rainy and storm seasons to prepare for natural disaster scenarios. Continue to implement procurement projects and new construction of search and rescue equipment to adequately supplement the national reserve, suitable for search and rescue operations under conditions of high waves and strong winds. Lead and coordinate with related units and localities to organize training exercises for search and rescue plans.

5. The Ministry of National Defense:

a) Direct units to prepare forces and equipment ready to perform urgent tasks such as responding to flood and storm emergencies, conducting search and rescue operations, and participating in dike and dam rescue when incidents occur; implementing flood diversion and delay tasks within the Red River system to ensure safety for Hanoi; assisting localities in mitigating the aftermath of natural disasters and floods, ensuring that the military is the main force in prevention, control, and mitigation of natural disaster consequences.

b) Direct border guard forces to cooperate with coastal local authorities to strictly check the provision of communication devices and safety equipment for fishermen operating at sea according to regulations; when there are storms or tropical depressions at sea, coordinate with the Coastal Radio Station to closely monitor the number and location of vessels at sea, guide them to move to safe areas, and provide assistance for search and rescue operations if incidents occur.

6. The Ministry of Public Security shall develop specific plans to ensure security and social order when natural disasters, floods, and storms occur; direct sectoral forces to cooperate with military forces and local authorities to urgently evacuate people from dangerous areas, participate in rescue operations, and mitigate the aftermath of natural disasters.

7. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development:

a) Inspect and urge localities to promptly complete repairs and reinforcement of dikes and dams.

b) Direct subordinate units and localities to review the operational procedures of water reservoirs under the Ministry’s management; develop safety plans for dikes and dams; strictly manage the number of vessels, continue to implement registration and inspection of fishing vessels according to classification; accelerate the progress of construction of anchorage areas for typhoon shelters for vessels that have been allocated funds, disseminate anchoring techniques in typhoon shelters to prevent vessels from sinking while anchored.

9. The Ministry of Transport:

a) Prepare equipment and personnel to ensure smooth transportation in all situations during natural disasters, floods, and storms; allocate emergency supplies in key areas on major and important transport routes to promptly respond to and replace damaged bridges, roads, ports, etc.; develop traffic diversion plans for each specific area.

b) Prepare equipment to serve the evacuation of people when implementing flood diversion and delay tasks within the Red River system to protect the safety of Hanoi; participate in repairing major dike and dam incidents upon orders.

c) Direct the implementation of measures to manage and ensure the safety of maritime and river transportation means when there are storms and floods.

10. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment:

a) Urgently complete the development of inter-reservoir operation procedures, prioritizing large river basins and central regions.

b) Direct the National Hydro-Meteorological Center to effectively organize forecasting and issuing warnings about tropical depressions, storms, and floods; improve the content and format of forecast information delivery tailored to different recipients; monitor and track early flood flows into reservoirs to support effective flood control operations.

c) Coordinate with the Institute of Geophysics to receive earthquake and tsunami information, promptly warn relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to implement preventive measures.

10. The Ministry of Information and Communications

a) Develop specific plans to ensure uninterrupted communication networks for flood and storm prevention and rescue operations in all situations, particularly connections between ministries, sectors, and localities with coastal radio stations and border guard information systems for vessel tracking and rescue operations; allocate specialized communication networks for disaster prevention and response command and control.

b) Direct VTC Digital Television Station to implement accurate and timely dissemination of knowledge about disaster prevention and response programs on VTC14 channel.

12. Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, and other mass media shall closely cooperate with the National Hydro-Meteorological Center, the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control, the National Search and Rescue Committee, and related agencies to accurately and promptly report on the situation and developments of natural disasters, floods, and storms, and the directives of the Prime Minister, the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control, and the National Search and Rescue Committee to ministries, sectors, and localities; continue to implement programs to disseminate knowledge and raise public awareness about various types of natural disasters and preventive measures.

12. Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, and other mass media shall closely coordinate with the National Hydro-meteorological Center, the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control, the National Committee for Search and Rescue, and relevant agencies to promptly and accurately disseminate information on the development of natural disasters, floods, and storms, as well as directives from the Prime Minister, the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control, and the National Committee for Search and Rescue to ministries, sectors, and localities; continue implementing programs to popularize knowledge and raise public awareness about various types of natural disasters and preventive measures.

13. The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance shall coordinate to allocate contingency budget funds to support ministries, sectors, and localities in promptly mitigating the consequences of natural disasters, floods, and storms; priority shall be given to planned capital for urgent projects serving disaster prevention and control, search and rescue operations.

14. Ministries and sectors, within their respective functions and assigned tasks, shall be responsible for directing and implementing effective disaster prevention and control, flood and storm mitigation, and search and rescue operations, as well as addressing the aftermath of natural disasters, floods, and storms within their own scope; at the same time, they must prepare forces, means, and necessary materials ready to participate in disaster prevention and control, flood and storm mitigation, and search and rescue operations according to the directives of the Prime Minister, the Head of the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control, and the Chairman of the National Search and Rescue Commission.

15. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government agencies, and Chairmen of provincial People's Committees under the central government shall be responsible for organizing and directing the strict implementation of this Directive.