Provinces ready for floods, landslides

Source: Vietnam News (20 September 2004)

The head of Department of Farming and Residence Settlement of Quang Nam Province, Nguyen Van Gap, and the chief of Binh Dinh Province’s Flood-Storm Control and Search-Rescue Department, Nguyen Van Mong, talked with Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper

Q: Will your plan of relocating 1,000 households out of landslide-prone areas be completed before the flood season begins this year?

Nguyen Van Gap: Currently, in the central province of Quang Nam, 446 households located in areas most prone to landslide have been relocated to other places, which amounts to 44.6 per cent of the relocation plan worked out by the Government and the provincial People Committee.

Each relocated household has been given VND 3 million, of which the Government provided VND 2 million and the People Committee provided VND 1 million.

We have also invested in three resettlement areas in Que Son, Thang Binh and Tam Ky, at a total cost of VND 4.1 billion (US$ 260,000), including infrastructure, water supply and transport systems, which can harbor a total of 300 inhabitants.

However, many residents still do not understand the long-term benefits of relocation, so they try to stay in place because of their old habits and customs, sometimes making it difficult for us to compel them to move.

Moreover, relocating residents is only a temporary solution.  For a more permanent solution, we should invest in building embankments along rivers and coastlines, because every year we lose a large area of farmland due to high tide and rough surf.

According to the plan, between 2001 and 2005 we will relocate 9,093 households out of landslide areas.  Between 2001 and last year, however, we were only able to relocate 4,000 households, while this year we have only been able to move 1,000.  So the number of households that still need to be relocated is very large.  To fulfill our objectives, we need the full resources-in terms of focus and funds-of various authorities and sectors.

Q: Can you elaborate on your plan to shelter ships during storm season?

Nguyen Van Mong: During the first six months of this year, Binh Dinh fishermen suffered from the effects of natural calamities, with 120 ships ruined or missing, seven people dead, and property damage of nearly VND 7 billion, all of which was caused by a whirlwind on March 8 and a storm on June 12.

Therefore, we need to focus on protecting fishermen and ships during the stormy season.

Currently, the province has some safe shelters for ships.  In Quy Nhon City, we have areas near Ham Tu Bridge, Dong Da Lake, Dong Nam Lake in Nhon Hoi commune, and Ha Thanh River.

In Phu Cat and Phu My districts, we have De Gi Lagoon, and we also have Tam Quan Port in Hoai Nhon District.

To effectively avoid damage incurred during severe weather, we force marine ships to have adequate equipment such as lifebuoys, walkie-talkies, radios and location identifying devices.  Ships that do not have enough such equipment will not be allowed to leave their ports.

We also hold training courses that teach rescue skills to emergency workers.  Our search and rescue committees work around the clock so that we will be able to help fishermen in trouble whenever they need it. - VNS