Natural disasters cause multi-million USD damage to northern mountainous region
Natural disasters have cost Vietnam’s northern mountainous areas about 610 billion VND (26.3 million USD) so far this year, compared to 753 billion VND last year.
A landslide triggered by torrential rains on a road in Trinh Tuong commune of Bat Xat district, Lao Cai province, in early July (Photo: VNA)
Lao Cai (VNA) - Natural disasters have cost Vietnam’s northernmountainous areas about 610 billion VND (26.3 million USD) so far this year, comparedto 753 billion VND last year.
The figures were released at a conference on the region’s natural disasterprevention and control efforts, held in the northern province of Lao Cai onJuly 13 and gathering leaders from 13 provinces together with 248 delegates.
There were 92 whirlwinds, hail storms, and heavy downpours; two flash floodsthat triggered landslides; and 12 earthquakes. Nineteen people had died as ofJuly 9, with 79 others injured, 53,633 houses ruined, and 10,009 ha of rice andvegetables damaged.
Deputy head of the Central Steering Committee for Natural DisasterPrevention and Control Tran Quang Hoai highlighted difficulties in forecasting,emergency alerts, and monitoring work in the region, saying infrastructure isoutdated.
He also pointed to shortcomings in the management of small reservoirsand a lack of professional equipment to access disaster-hit areas and servesearch and rescue efforts.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuongrequested that committees for natural disasters prevention and control as wellas search and rescue at different levels deploy teams to examine the safety ofhouses in high-risk locations, inspect reservoirs, and install rain and flowmonitoring devices, among other tasks.
He asked local provinces to prioritise budgets for disaster response,particularly in communications, capacity enhancement, and planning./.
Recent heavy rain, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and lighting in 10 northern provinces have caused an estimated economic loss of 83.5 billion VND (over 3.6 million USD).
Natural disasters had claimed 15 lives and caused economic losses of more than 3.2 trillion VND (over 1.38 billion USD) this year to May 8, it was reported at a conference on May 19.
The heatwave scorching northern Vietnam since earlier this month is expected to linger until June 13 and may become the longest to have hit the region in 27 years.
The Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has asked ministries, sectors and local governments to prepare for flooding as a result of heavy downpours in the northern region in the coming days.
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.
A landslide triggered by torrential rains on a road in Trinh Tuong commune of Bat Xat district, Lao Cai province, in early July (Photo: VNA) 
