Natural disasters have killed 385 people, injured 654 others in Vietnam and caused a loss of VND59.3 trillion (USD2.7 billion) for the country so far this year.

Khanh Hoa Province seriously affected by the Storm Damrey in early November

The information was revealed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control.

According to the committee, natural disasters totally ruined 8,126 houses and damaged or flooded 561,696 others.   

Over the past decade, each year, up to 300 people were killed or missing due to natural disasters. The country faced an annual average loss of around VND17 trillion (USD876 million). The loss increased to VND28 trillion in 2013 and VND40 trillion in 2016.

The committee added that most localities had better responses to natural disasters. Dozens of urgent alerts were issued by the prime minister and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to call for natural disaster responses. 

Messages were also sent to people’s mobile phones to warn about storms and floods. Meanwhile, weather forecasts with more specific information were updated more often.

To ease the consequences of natural disasters, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that it was vital to boost high-tech aquaculture. Farmers need to be provided with measures to deal with natural disasters. 

Authorities of localities have to be responsible for helping to protect local people’s assets in case of natural disasters. 

Natural disaster prevention and control force need to be provided with more equipment to respond to urgent cases.

dtinews