It is necessary to raise public awareness of the need to actively prevent natural disasters to cope with the upcoming storm season.

It is forecast that this year’s storm season will arrive earlier than previous years with complicated development. Therefore, to reduce and prevent damages due to natural disasters, local authorities and citizens should devise plans and preventive measures overcome difficulties from flooding.

Last year’s historic floods submerged many houses and subsidiary crops, leaving nearly 200 dead and causing damages of more than VND10,000 billion. 2010 can be considered the most devastating year of natural calamities over the past 100 years.

At a recent seminar to review flood prevention activities, the Steering Committee for Flood Prevention and Control said that localities have not actively coped with floods and storms while rescue forces are not well-equipped.

The most important thing is that each locality and commune should mobilize forces and prepare facilities to cope with floodings.

It is necessary to raise public awareness of the importance of natural disaster prevention and control in Vietnam (climate change causing strong impacts on Vietnam). To minimise damages, citizens should take an active role in combating natural calamities.

It is also important to improve the quality of forecast work to take measures against natural disasters and evacuate people from affected areas. Apart from raising awareness, an adequate supply of food for people should be ensured during the flood and storm season. Local authorities should intensify effective measures and cooperate with rescue forces.

Prior to the flood and storm season, local authorities and people should also reserve rice, preserve clean-water wells and build shelters for flood and storm victims. For many years, the mountainous district of Tay Giang in the central province of Quang Nam, where people are often isolated in floods, has stockpiled rice to aid local households with only VND5 million worth of rice for storage, Tay Giang provided food for hundreds of victims for several weeks during the last flood season.

To mitigate natural disasters, the Prime Minister has instructed relevant agencies to provide more equipment for rescue work. In addition, the State has also provided assistance to flood-prone areas to build public areas and help local people repair and build new houses.

If the State and citizens work together to take an active role in preventing and combating natural disasters, human and material losses will be much reduced.