Gov’t focuses on natural disasters control

27/05/2008 -- 6:17 PM

Hanoi (VNA) - The Government is sourcing any assistance available to avoid material and life losses that result from natural disasters, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). At a workshop in Hanoi on May 27, MARD Deputy Minister Dao Xuan Hoc said the Government always encourages donors, both at home and abroad, to extend a helping hand to victims of natural disasters. “The Government has prioritized the control of natural disasters and addressing aftermaths in State budget allocations. Meanwhile, official development assistance (ODA) will focus on the transfer of technology and management experiences,” he told domestic and foreign partners at the workshop. He said the central Government has authorized local administrations to initiate mobilising and using financial sources for disaster prevention and management. Upgrades to the disaster warning system to ensure accurate and fast forecasts was recommended by the participants at the workshop. Others suggested management and strategic agencies should work closely together on the issue, in order to avoid overlapping agricultural and forest production plans that might result in deforestation and wildfires. Many at the conference proposed stronger international cooperation in the exchange of information and coping with large impact disasters such as oil spilling, tsunami and earthquakes. Vietnam has suffered losses of 700 lives in each of the past 10 years due to natural disasters. Material losses were estimated at 1.5 percent of GDP, with resulting water-borne disasters being the biggest cost to the economy. For example, storm Linda, which hit the southern region in 1997, left some 778 dead, over 2,000 others missing and total estimated damages worth 593 million USD. Flash flooding that hit the central region in November, 1999 caused a toll of 620 dead or missing toll and 314 million USD worth of material losses. Storm Xangsane, which wrecked havoc to the central city of Danang in October, 2006, killed or injured over 600 people and caused material losses estimated at 620 million USD.--Enditem
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