Last year’s losses from natural disasters lowest in 20 years
Losses from natural disasters in 2021 were the lowest in 20 years, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh told a conference reviewing last year’s performance of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and the Vietnam National Committee for Search and Rescue in Hanoi on January 20.
Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh speaks at the event. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Losses from natural disasters in2021 were the lowest in 20 years, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh told a conference reviewing last year’s performance of the National SteeringCommittee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and the Vietnam NationalCommittee for Search and Rescue in Hanoi on January 20.
He spoke highly of the two committees’ performance over thepast year, he said they have actively coordinated with other agencies and localauthorities to develop scenarios for proper disaster response, savingpeople’s lives and properties.
Thanh ordered the two bodies to not let their guard down andhighly focus on natural disaster response efforts so as to minimise damage, given that weather events are likely to remain complex and uncertain this year.
According to reports delivered at the event, Vietnam saw4,061 natural disasters and accidents last year, causing 530 people dead andmissing, and over 5.2 trillion VND (229.58 million USD) in economic losses.
Deputy Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources LeCong Thanh said his ministry will be accelerating the implementation of aprogramme providing updated zoning of natural disaster-prone areas anddeveloping a disaster alert map, with a focus placed on storm, flooding, flashflood, landslide, drought and saline intrusion this year.
It is forecast that the global temperature will be on a risein 2022, heightening risk of unusual and extreme natural events around the world,particularly in Vietnam.
Tran Quang Hoai, head of the General Department of NaturalDisaster Prevention and Control, said data on storms, flooding and othernatural disasters must be updated accurately and quickly, and it cannot happenwithout the help of advanced technology.
He asked the government to build a project for the promotionof digital transformation in natural disaster response in Vietnam./.
All coastal localities and ministries have been told to urgently deploy measures to prepare for the arrival of typhoon Rai, which is currently in the East Sea with wind speeds of 150-165km per hour near the eye of the storm.
A ceremony was held on January 5 in Hanoi to hand over 100,000 USD from the Vietnamese Government and people to support bereaved families of tornadoes that occurred in Kentucky, the US, last December.
The south-central coastal region, the most disaster-prone in Vietnam, must focus on improving disaster forecasting so early warnings can be produced to facilitate proactive response, an official told the Vietnam News Agency.
Floodwater levels in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta are high and will continue to rise this month, especially in upstream areas, according to the hydraulic works management and construction department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
Conservation efforts to restore habitat and boost the population of red-crowned cranes in Tram Chim National Park are finally showing progress, with the cranes and many other rare wild birds coming back to the park.
Torrential rains from the night of July 31 to early August 1 triggered flash floods and landslides across several communes in Dien Bien province, leaving at least two people dead and eight others missing.
Transitioning to a circular economy not only offers a sustainable development path for Ho Chi Minh City but also serves as a pivotal step toward establishing a fully green economy.
An exhibition featuring 100 green, recycled, and circular economy models and products from 50 businesses and educational establishments took place in Ho Chi Minh City on July 31, as part of the local green transition forum and recycle day 2025.
Regional solidarity and cooperation are the key factor for the effective implementation of wildlife protection regulations. Only through sustainable cooperation, innovative approaches, and collective action can biodiversity be safeguarded for the present and future generations, an Vietnamese official has said.
Hanoi has approved a comprehensive plan to restore the environmental quality and develop four major urban rivers – the To Lich, Kim Nguu, Lu, and Set reverine environments.
The Javan pangolin is listed in Vietnam’s Red Book as critically endangered and is protected under Group IB – a category reserved for forest species facing an extremely high risk of extinction and requiring strict conservation measures.
As a key member of the core group of 18 countries, initiated by Vanuatu, Vietnam engaged in advocating for the UN General Assembly’s Resolution N.77/276, requesting for the ICJ’s advisory opinion. Following the resolution's adoption, Vietnam fully participated in all procedural steps for the first time, from submitting written proposals to presenting directly at the court’s hearings.
The wild elephant population in Da Nang includes a full developed herb of mature males, females, and calves. To date, the herd has grown to nine individuals.
Conservation efforts here have become a model, helping to save millions of turtle hatchlings and promoting Con Dao as a member of the Indian Ocean-Southeast Asia Turtle Site Network.
As part of its drive to fulfil its net zero emissions commitment by 2050, Vietnam is fast-tracking the development of a legal corridor to launch a pilot carbon market by the end of 2025, according to the Department of Climate Change.
Under the plan, from 2025 to 2026, the city will complete mechanisms and policies to support businesses in switching to green vehicles, expand the electric and green-energy bus network, and build charging stations. The targeted proportion of green buses is set at 10% in 2025 and 20–23% in 2026.
Storm Comay, the fourth in the East Sea this year, was at around 16.7 degrees North and 118.3 degrees East, in the east of the East Sea's northern waters as of 4am on July 24.
The disaster risk warning level for flash floods, landslides, and ground subsidence due to heavy rains and flows is rated at level 1, except in Nghe An, where it is raised to level 2.
Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh speaks at the event. (Photo: VNA)
