Binh Phan pumping station in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang has been restarted to ensure water supplies for local paddy fields in response to drought and saline intrusion. (Illustrative image. Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) -Vietnam grappled with nearly 4,000 disasters and incidents in 2019, an increaseof 57.9 percent compared to the previous year.
The figures were announced on January 15 by Deputy PrimeMinister Trinh Dinh Dung, who noted that extreme weather events in Vietnam hadbecome more serious and frequent in recent years.
From mid-December 2018 to mid-December 2019, more than 500 people were killedand 170 others injured in environmental incidents. Some 1,400 warehouses andfactories and 2,000ha of forest burnt down, while nearly 117,000ha of ricewas damaged and 4,000 litres of spilt oil.
In early July, the central province of Ha Tinh was hit byan unprecedented forest fire that covered 92.4ha, destroying nearly35,200 pine trees and 620 eucalyptus trees in Nghi Xuan district.
Prolonged heat and drought in last year's summer pushed the livestock and cropsof thousands of small households in central Vietnam to the brink, prompting theMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development to urge the Directorateof Water Resources to develop a coping plan for the thirsty winter-spring crops.
From June to October 2019, rainfall in the upper Mekong region dropped by 35 to40 percent, along with the impacts of El Nino, causing water shortages in thelower part of Mekong River.
The situation was forecast to become more devastating in the next fewmonths, according to the National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting.
The National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response, Search andRescue mobilised more than 207,000 people for rescue operations, saving morethan 5,000 victims and 252 vehicles.
A lack of facilities hindered incident and disaster response, DeputyPM Dung said, including providing early warnings, evacuations,search and rescue, and providing first aid.
Although Vietnam is hit by roughly ten storms a year, the managementof fishing boats remains poor, making them more vulnerable to disasters.
He stressed the need for community education and disasterpreparations for a proactive response to incidents as well as an increasein investment in innovations to improve forecasting accuracy, preventincidents and efficiently operate search and rescue activities./.
The Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control, UNICEF and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) held in Hanoi on October 12 a ceremony in response to the International Day for Disaster Reduction to review impacts of natural disasters and climate change in recent years, thus defining orientations for future coordination activities.
The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Region needs to be more innovative in production to grow sustainably in the context of climate change and environmental and integration challenges, experts have said.
The current issues of urbanization as well as future challenges in Vietnam are requiring appropriate solutions to help Vietnamese cities to develop sustainably.
In the context where AI dominates and produces vast volumes of content, the only sustainable path forward for journalism is to focus on high-quality content and core values. Journalism must redefine its mission - not to report the fastest, but to provide the most profound and trustworthy value.
Granma and the VNA have great potential for cooperation, especially in sharing content regularly, so that VNA products are published on Granma platforms and vice versa, thereby helping Cuban and Vietnamese people access true information and gain a deep understanding of each other's country and people.
During his stay in China’s Guangzhou city from 1924 to 1927 to prepare for the establishment of a Communist Party to lead Vietnam’s revolution, President Ho Chi Minh founded “Thanh nien” newspaper and released its first issue on June 21, 1925.
Vietnam and Cambodia are hoped to strengthen their robust collaboration across various sectors, particularly in resolving remaining border issues to transform the border area into a zone of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the Vietnam News Agency Digital Media Centre (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The total investment exceeded 319 billion VND (12.2 million USD), including over 261 billion VND from the state budget and 57.5 billion VND mobilised from businesses, organisations, and individuals.
The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the country’s goal of having the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.
Throughout its 80-year history, the VNA has remained at the forefront of information dissemination. It has consistently delivered timely, accurate, and objective reports on both domestic and international events, serving the Party’s leadership, the State’s management, and the public’s demand for official news.
With strong support from local authorities, businesses, organisations, and residents, the province has successfully built or repaired 10,707 homes for disadvantaged households, including war veterans, families of martyrs, ethnic minority people, and low-income residents.
Throughout its resistance against colonialists and imperialists, Vietnam developed a revolutionary press that has served as a benchmark for just and legitimate causes worldwide.
Founded in 1842, the Vienna Philharmonic is regarded as a cultural ambassador of Austria, with prestigious conductors like Mahler and Karajan who shape its legacy. Its New Year’s Concert, broadcast to over 90 countries annually, stands as a global symbol of classical music excellence.
PM Chinh lauded the press’s historic role in the nation’s fight for independence and its ongoing process of national development, affirming that the Government always highly appreciates the close partnership and steadfast support of press agencies and journalists nationwide.
In recent decades, Vietnam’s mainstream media has become a reliable and persuasive channel for showcasing the nation’s development policies and achievements, especially in economic matters, according to a senior assistant editor at the Times of India.
A hub for sharing best practices, the event aims to forge solutions for financial sustainability, public media contracts, audience engagement, content innovation, and newsroom restructuring. It is also a moment for Vietnam’s media to accelerate its progress and figure out what the “revolutionary press” means in a new era.
From “Thanh nien”, Vietnam’s first revolutionary newspaper founded by Nguyen Ai Quoc (later President Ho Chi Minh) on June 21, 1925, the revolutionary press has remained devoted to its sacred missions -accompanying the nation, serving the Fatherland, and working for the people.
The official launch of Emirates’ Dubai–Da Nang route on June 2 has sparked a “tourism revolution” for Vietnam’s central coastal city. Da Nang is emerging as a top destination for high-end travelers, particularly from the lucrative Middle Eastern market.
Bernama CEO Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said VNA has been a consistent and reliable partner in OANA, contributing actively to the regional media landscape through content sharing, coordination, and policy discussions. Their coverage of ASEAN and Indochina issues adds valuable perspectives. Bernama appreciates the collaboration with VNA.
Binh Phan pumping station in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang has been restarted to ensure water supplies for local paddy fields in response to drought and saline intrusion. (Illustrative image. Source: VNA) 
