Social Affairs
Vietnam attempts to minimize natural disaster risks
As one of the countries hardest hit by climate change, Vietnam has made efforts to minimise risks from natural disasters and adapt to climate change, including issuing policies and developing infrastructure in recent years.
The Vietnam Red Cross Society was selected to represent national organisations in Southeast Asia to hold a meeting marking International Day for Disaster Reduction in the central province of Quang Nam on October 13.
The World Disasters Report 2016, compiled by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, was announced at the ceremony.
According to the report, 98.6 million people worldwide were affected by disasters in 2015, with 92% of the disasters caused by climate change, particularly drought.
Vietnam is among the top five countries bearing the full brunt of natural disasters and climate change impacts. The country is hit by between 10 and 15 storms annually, which inflict 50% of land and 70% of the population in vulnerable areas.
According to Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRSC), natural disasters and diseases are on the rise, requiring more investment to mitigate losses. The building of safe and resilient communities is also important, the VRSC said.
Vietnam has participated in campaigns supporting natural disaster victims in the world.
VRSC has set up a control office and a special taskforce for natural disaster response, along with a network of 31 response teams at provincial level and 200 teams at communes.
The society’s chapters nationwide have built nearly 30,000 Red Cross Houses and relief goods storage in areas vulnerable to natural disasters.
Efforts from the Party, the State and Government at all levels have helped reduce remarkable damage caused by natural disasters int he recent years.
According to the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, the death and missing toll from 2011-2015 reduced 53%, to an average of 226 persons per year from 478 persons between 2006-2010.
Natural disaster-related damages averaged 13.65 trillion VND (660 million USD) a year in the period, 32 percent lower than the annual average of 976 million USD in the previous five-year period.
The Government allocated over seven trillion VND (315 million USD) in aid and over 47,000 tonnes of rice to support affected localities.
In 2015 alone, Vietnam experienced five storms and the worst drought in six decades along with severe saline intrusion.
In the first nine months of this year, natural disasters caused the deaths and missing of 125 people, and injured 266 others. Over 3.5 thousands houses collapsed or were swept away and hundreds of thousands of hectares of crops were damaged.
At the meeting.
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According to the report, 98.6 million people worldwide were affected by disasters in 2015, with 92% of the disasters caused by climate change, particularly drought.
Vietnam is among the top five countries bearing the full brunt of natural disasters and climate change impacts. The country is hit by between 10 and 15 storms annually, which inflict 50% of land and 70% of the population in vulnerable areas.
Illustrative image
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Vietnam has participated in campaigns supporting natural disaster victims in the world.
VRSC has set up a control office and a special taskforce for natural disaster response, along with a network of 31 response teams at provincial level and 200 teams at communes.
The society’s chapters nationwide have built nearly 30,000 Red Cross Houses and relief goods storage in areas vulnerable to natural disasters.
Efforts from the Party, the State and Government at all levels have helped reduce remarkable damage caused by natural disasters int he recent years.
According to the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, the death and missing toll from 2011-2015 reduced 53%, to an average of 226 persons per year from 478 persons between 2006-2010.
Natural disaster-related damages averaged 13.65 trillion VND (660 million USD) a year in the period, 32 percent lower than the annual average of 976 million USD in the previous five-year period.
The Government allocated over seven trillion VND (315 million USD) in aid and over 47,000 tonnes of rice to support affected localities.
In 2015 alone, Vietnam experienced five storms and the worst drought in six decades along with severe saline intrusion.
In the first nine months of this year, natural disasters caused the deaths and missing of 125 people, and injured 266 others. Over 3.5 thousands houses collapsed or were swept away and hundreds of thousands of hectares of crops were damaged.
