Lai Chau asked to become more active in disaster prevention

The northern mountainous province of Lai Chau has been asked to design specific plans cope with natural disasters suitable to each locality.

The request was made during a working session between a delegation from the Central Steering Committee on Disaster and Control led by Hoang Quoc Vuong, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade and a member of the committee and provincial leaders on July 8.

Lai Chau is one of the mountainous provinces that are seriously affected by extreme and irregular weather conditions.

Lai Chau is one of the mountainous provinces that are seriously affected by extreme and irregular weather conditions. Photo: laichau.gov.vn

Last year, whirlwinds and torrential rain in the province killed 11 people and damaged many roads, with total losses amounting to about 130 billion VND (5.83 million USD).

From early this year, it has suffered from numerous natural disasters, including damaging cold and freezing conditions, hailstones and whirlwinds, which killed two and injured 30 people while destroying 4,360 houses and large areas of crop with total losses of over 27.4 billion VND.

At the session, Lai Chau leaders asked for financial support in the work, together with the design of a national disaster map which highlights localities in high risk, as well as the setting up of a monitoring system of water levels in rivers and streams.

In order to protect forests, they suggested a raise of the remuneration for forest environment protection.

Deputy Minister Vuong said that Lai Chau should mobilise the engagement of the whole political system in the prevention and control of disasters, while intensifying communication to raise public awareness of the work, especially among ethnic minority groups and those who live in high-risk areas.

Meanwhile, the province should upgrade disaster prevention facilities, with priorities on major works, while integrating the work in its target programs and basic construction projects, he asked.