4 killed in road accident in Tra Vinh

At least four persons were killed and two injured when two coaches crashed into three motorbikes in Tra Vinh, a Mekong River Delta province, this morning.

The accident happened at 10am on Ba Si Bridge in Cang Long district's Phuong Thanh commune when two coaches tried to cross the bridge at the same time and crashed into three motorbikes with two passengers each, the local traffic police reported.

Police are further investigating the accident.

15 firefighters suffer injuries in paint store fire

Fifteen firefighters were taken to hospital after a chemical box exploded in a fire at a paint store in Hoa Vang district, Da Nang city, yesterday night.

The city's firefighting police department said this morning that the fire broke out at about 11pm in Hoa Chau commune, 20km from the city, and the department sent 10 fire trucks to stamp out the fire and rescue local residents living near the store.

No one was reported killed.

However, a box, which was identified to be containing acetone, suddenly exploded, injuring 15 firemen and damaging a wall of the store.

Nine firemen suffered burns.

Corporal Truong Van Phuc was the worst affected, as he suffered burns to his arms, face and neck. He also broke an arm.

Some firefighters are receiving treatment for burns to the conjunctiva.

Two firemen were discharged from the Da Nang general hospital.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.

Firms want to raise taxi fares

The Ha Noi Taxi Association has received proposals from local firms to raise fares due to the RON 92 petrol price hike on Tuesday, the Giao thong (Transport) newspaper reported.

The petrol price has been increased by nearly VND2,000 to reach VND19,200 (US$0.89) per litre.

President of the taxi association Do Quoc Binh said the taxi firms wanted to increase the fares by about VND500 to VND1,000 per kilometre.

"I think it is suitable," he said. It was up to each firm to decide when they wanted to increase the fares, he said.

President of HCM City's Taxi Association Ta Long Hy said the petrol price has been increased for the second time since March.

"It affected the business activities of taxi firms," he said.

According to the finance ministry's price management department, fuel costs accounted for 25 to 35 per cent of the taxi fares. The petrol price has increased by about 22 per cent since early this year, compared to the period before Tet (Lunar New Year).

A taxi driver of Phu Dong Taxi Firm said as the petrol price has increased by about 22 per cent, taxi fares might be increased by nearly VND1,000 per kilometre.

Communications Director of Mai Linh Taxi Company Nguyen Van Hung said the firm was yet to decide on any fare increase.

Ca Mau drought causes billion-VND losses to farmers

Prolonged drought has caused severe damage worth tens of billions of Vietnamese dong to farms in the southernmost province of Ca Mau,  according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

As many as 2,800 hectares of shrimps were ruined, costing over 10 billion VND (465,000 USD).

Drought has also taken its toll on the loss of over 700 eel and marble goby ponds, 1,200 hectares of crops as well as nearly 1,000 hectares of  orchards valued at nearly 9 billion VND (418,600 USD).

The locality is suffering severe water shortages, said the provincial agriculture promotion centre, forecasting a worsened situation in May if the  drought continues to cripple the region.

The province is striving to counteract the issue with priority given to supplying fresh water for thousands of residents and irrigating hundreds  

hectares of crops, though there is no way to save the fruit trees.

Women organisations seek to combat human trafficking

The Vietnam Women Union, the UN Women, and the northernmost province of Ha Giang on May 7 jointly hosted a workshop on preventing  human trafficking, which is warned to have grown complicated recently.

Representatives from foreign embassies and UN offices in Vietnam as well as ministry officials heard that uneducated girls from families hit by  economic difficulties are often targeted by human traffickers, especially in the case of workshop hosts Ha Giang.

Since 2011, the province has received 751 trafficked women and children from Chinese authorities. Some rescued victims have then regrettably  turned to be accomplices in trafficking rings.

According to UN Resident Coordinator Pratibha Mehta, Vietnam has step by step refined legal documents designed to fight traffickers and help  victim reintegration.

She, however, raised a concern about increasingly sophisticated tricks used by traffickers in the country.

Participants visualised what human trafficking could grow and sought effective experience from other countries.

They pledged to closely coordinate to efficiently combat the problem.-

Hanoi officials warn against coach services' unfair competition

Unfair competition among coach services on the Ha Noi-Hai Phong route has increased sharply in recent times.

Deputy Head of Hai Phong City's Investigation Police Col Le Hong Thang said at a meeting, held by the transport ministry with relevant agencies on unfair competition between transport firms on Highway 5, that competitiveness was rising.

The low passenger numbers on this route and large number of available coaches are being blamed for the unfair competition here.

Deputy Director of Hai Phong's Transport Department Nguyen Duc Tho said passenger occupancy was just 42 per cent of the coach service capacity, comprising 225 cars in 16 transport units.

With such few passengers, conflict was bound to happen, Tho said.

Some drivers were injured during a fight to get customers, while other also received threats, Tho said.

In some cases, drivers were requested to drive slowly to let other cars catch up, to help them get more passengers.

With disorderly transportation services and picking up of passengers on this and several other routes, Deputy Head of the Traffic Police Department of the Public Security Ministry Col Luu Thanh Hiep said the management of traffic order and safety was not strict.

Agreeing with this view, Tran Van Truong, an inspector from the transport ministry, said some transport units have not managed to tightly monitor their operations and drivers.

To deal with this problem, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hong Quang said transport departments should inspect the operations of all transport firms that show signs of unfair competition and that business licences should be temporarily revoked where necessary.

He also requested the departments to resolve this issue within one month to ensure order and traffic safety on this route.

EVN pledges adequate electricity in May

The Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) pledged that it will provide enough electricity in May to meet demand, potentially reaching as high as 463 million  

kilowatt hours each day.

The company said that it will focus on maximising the capacity of coal-fuelled and gas-fuelled turbines in order to supply adequate electricity,  especially for the south-central provinces which are being hit by severe drought.

According to the EVN, in the first four months this year, all power plants produced 49.25 billion kilowatt hours, of which commercial electricity  comprises 42.8 billion kilowatt hours, up 11.13 percent against the same period last year.-

Vietnam’s marine archaeology potential deemed huge

Vietnam’s maritime archaeology potential is considered vast and unexplored as the country’s seas, coastal relic sites and trade ports still house  a great number of antiquities, experts said at a workshop held in Hanoi on May 7.

Participants elaborated that Vietnam set up relations with kingdoms and cultural and economic hubs in Asia due to its proximity to a key  commercial navigation route in Southeast Asia, enabling it to serve as a bridge linking Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia.

People of the Dai Viet, Champa, and Oc Eo-Phu Nam civilisations and different dynasties in Vietnam’s history enhanced trade with regional  

countries and exported a variety of products.

Vietnamese porcelain and other products have been discovered at many ports, archaeological sites, and historical and cultural relics in  Southeast Asian, Northeast Asian, and Southwest countries as well as faraway seas, scientists said.

At the workshop, they also discussed Vietnam’s occupation and exploitation of seas and islands, research findings and the study and utilisation  of maritime archaeological heritage.

The function was held by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities under the Vietnam National University - Hanoi.

Bus operators compete for passengers

 Cut-throat competition has developed between coach services on the Ha Noi-Hai Phong route.

Deputy Head of Hai Phong City's Investigation Police, Colonel Le Hong Thang, said this at a meeting between the transport ministry and agencies.

He said the route had become known for large numbers of buses and few customers.

Deputy Director of Hai Phong's Transport Department, Nguyen Duc Tho, said seat occupancy was about 42 per cent of capacity.

"With such few passengers, conflicts are bound to happen," Tho said.

Some drivers had even been injured during fights over customers, while others had been threatened.

In some cases, they drive slowly to try and get more passengers.

In addition, many transport firms and drivers do not follow bus station regulations.

And, Tho added, some buses create their own routes and schedules.

An official from Luong Yen Bus Station said sometimes co-drivers became involved in arguments with station managers over routes and services.

Deputy Head of the Traffic Police Department, Colonel Luu Thanh Hiep, said the management of buses was not strict.

Tran Van Truong, an inspector from the transport ministry, agreed that some operators did not tightly manage drivers.

To deal with the problems, Deputy Transport Minister Nguyen Hong Truong said transport departments should revoke business licences if necessary.

He also told departments to solve the issue within a month. He also told them to set up hotlines to receive any complaints from passengers.

The Government's new transport policies will be introduced next month.

Media asked to work harder for international integration

The Government’s plans for the Vietnamese media in the 2015-17 period have been outlined, with key targets expected to be officially issued  within the year.

The goal is to enhance Vietnam’s integration into the world, and is particularly targeted at news publications with an international audience.

A legal framework offering guidance in the coverage of foreign affairs news is in the pipeline, according to the plan. Information promoting  Vietnam’s sovereignty over its sea, islands, borders and territory will also be enhanced.

Meanwhile, more content on the country’s human rights policies as well as the country’s achievements in ensuring human rights will be published  in the media.

During the period, ministries will promote the efficiency of foreign service news reporting by Vietnamese representative offices abroad, as well  as the establishment of Vietnamese cultural centres across the world.

Multi-media and multi-language media products with a high proportion of cultural content will also be developed in order to promote the potential  and strength in different sectors and localities. This will help to boost tourism and attract more foreign investment.

The media will also be encouraged to introduce the nation’s intergration with the world by promoting cultural events in other countries and  celebrating Vietnam’s diplomatic ties with its international partners, according to the plan.

The need for the media, both inside and outside the country, to promote documents proving Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and  Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes, has also been underlined in the plan.-

Irrigation system honoured in Dien Bien

The Nam Rom irrigation canal system in northwestern Dien Bien province was recognised as a provincial level historical-cultural relic site on May  7.

Built after the Dien Bien Phu victory in 1954 with the purpose of expanding cultivation across Muong Thanh, the region’s biggest field, the  irrigation system was the second largest of its kind nationwide at that time.

Construction began in 1963 during wartime and finished seven years later thanks to significant efforts by more than 2,000 personnel, volunteers  and locals, 18 of who were killed in action.

Spanning a total distance of 127 kilometres, the main dike took water from the Nam Rom River. Hundreds of kilometres of small canals were  then dug to make a complete system.

The Nam Rom project has helped increase the volume of rice production and irrigated area by three times to reach the current 6,000 kilograms  per hectare and 6,000 hectares respectively.

Thai Binh facilitates clean water supply projects

The northern province of Thai Binh had 34 rural clean water supply projects worth 2.1 trillion VND (100 million USD) as of this April, benefiting 1.2  million residents in 175 communes.

With a total capacity of over 207,000 cubic metres, the province is striving to provide clean water access to all local residents later this year.

The State Bank and commercial banks have facilitated appraisals and adjusted loans for relevant projects, eight of which received loans worth a  combined 68 billion VND (3.2 million USD).

According to the provincial Department of Planning and Investment, 22 of the approved projects are new, five others have expanded capacities  and the rest have increased their scale.

Of 27 licensed projects, 10 are fully operational, 11 are under construction and the remaining six await land procedures.

Local authorities have offered incentives to investors in water supply projects, including financial aid and funded training courses.

HCM City health sector calls for vigilance

The Preventive Health Centre in Ho Chi Minh City called on residents to remain highly vigilant over prevalent diseases such as dengue and  chickenpox, even though most of the diseases are on the decline at present.

According to Doctor Nguyen Tri Dung, Director of the centre, the city has recorded 496 cases of dengue fever in April, down 35 percent against  the month prior, with eight districts reporting over 50 percent reductions such as Binh Thanh and Binh Tan.

In the first three months of this year, the city reported a number of chickenpox and mumps cases at primary and nursery schools. However, so far  this month, the disease has been contained and no new cases have been reported.

In April, the city recorded 631 hand-foot-mouth disease incidents, up 14 percent from March. Though the number of such cases increased in the  month, it is still within normal ranges. So far this year, the city has had 2,139 hand-foot-mouth cases, down 28 percent over the same period last  year.

Though the diseases are likely to continue to reduce, the health sector warned city dwellers not to neglect the issue since the prolonged hot  weather presents favourable conditions for viruses and bacteria to thrive.

They advised the community to maintain personal hygiene and environmental sanitation, and wash hands regularly with soap.

The municipal Preventive Health Centre will work with relevant departments and sectors to hold a mosquito-killing campaign in June in response  to the ASEAN Dengue Day (June 15).

Simultaneously, the heath sector will work to control dengue and hand-foot-mouth in districts with elevated rates of diseases.

Hanoi takes measures to prevent whooping cough

The Hanoi Health Department has ordered hospitals and health centres to enact prompt measures to prevent the spread of whooping cough,  also known as pertussis, in the city.

The move comes after a number of children in Hanoi have recently been diagnosed with pertussis.

The Health Department told hospitals and health centres to instruct the community on ways to identify the disease and prevent its spread.

Hospitals have been asked to stock adequate medications and necessary equipment for treating patients.

Authorities are also calling on parents to bring their children to health centres for vaccinations.

Pertussis is caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. It is an airborne disease which spreads easily through coughs and sneezes of an  infected person.

Whooping cough occurs mainly in infants and young children who are not vaccinated.-

Free cleft-palate surgeries in May

Free operations will be provided for 190 children with cleft palates in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi during May.

The patients will also have part of their travel and other expenses covered.

The treatment campaign is launched by the US NGO Operation Smile, which began its meaningful work in Vietnam in 1989, treating more than  38,000 children with facial defects.

Within the first four months, the organisation carried out eight similar operation programmes benefiting 350 young patients.

Cleft palate is one of the most common malformations in Vietnam with one in 700 newborns suffering the condition.-

Vietnam supports World Clean Hand Day campaign

The Ministry of Health (MOH) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) convened a launching ceremony of “Save Lives-Clean your hands”  campaign in Hanoi on May 5.

The drive aims to increase awareness of bacterial contamination management in hospitals nationwide. This is the sixth consecutive year  Vietnam has promoted the global event.

According to Director of the Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Department (under the MOH) Luong Ngoc Khue, bacterial contamination in  hospitals is one of top challenges facing Vietnam and the world, given patient vulnerability to bacteria in the hospital.

He noted research studies have proved bacterial contamination in hospital increases mortality rates, antibiotic resistance and overall expenses.

Bacterial contamination in hospitals can be prevented through effective control mechanisms. One of the most effective and inexpensive ways to  minimize bacterial contamination is hand hygiene reinforcement programmes which ensure hygiene and safety for both patients and medical  workers, he added.

Recently, medical centres have made significant efforts to strengthen awareness among medical workers, patients and their family members of  the importance of bacterial contamination management in hospitals and healthcare centres.

A number of Vietnamese hospitals were recognized by WHO and Asia Pacific Society of Infection Control (APSIC) for their outstanding  performances in the campaign including the Cho Ray Hospital, General Hospital of Hue and Bach Mai.

Currently, nearly 500 hospitals nationwide have committed to participating in the WHO campaign and 73 hospitals registered to join the event on  its website. Vietnam is the fourth of 24 countries to support the programme in the Asia Pacific region, after the Philippines, Australia and China.

As part of a major global effort to improve hand hygiene in healthcare led by the WHO to support health-care workers, the SAVE LIVES: Clean  Your Hands annual global campaign was launched in 2009 and is a natural extension of the WHO First Global Patient Safety Challenge: Clean  Care is Safer Care.

The campaign aims to galvanise action at the point of care to demonstrate that hand hygiene is the gateway to reducing healthcare-associated  infection and patient safety. It also aims to demonstrate the global commitment to this priority healthcare area.

Hydrometeorology forecast called to improve

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Linh Ngoc has suggested that the quality of hydrometeorology forecasting should  be improved in anticipation of the complex development of natural disasters in 2015.

He told a conference in Hanoi on May 7 that his ministry’s units should open training sessions on search and rescue and natural disaster  prevention; ensure human resources are in place to deal with crises; provide access to necessary equipment; and inspect the implementation of  relevant legal documents.

Ngoc said it is also important to build maps demonstrating areas vulnerable to elevated water levels caused by typhoons in coastal localities,  while implementing the law on natural disaster prevention and raising public awareness of the issue.

Nguyen Van Tue, Director of the Department of Hydrometeorology and Climate Change, said five storms and three tropical low pressure spells  occurred in the East Sea in 2014, lower than the average of previous years.

Droughts were seen in coastal provinces from Quang Binh to Khanh Hoa, causing huge damage to agriculture production. At other times in the  year, these localities were hit equally hard by strong whirlwinds, thunderstorms and heavy rain.

Director of the National Centre for Hydrometeorology Forecasting, Hoang Duc Cuong, said about 9-10 storms and tropical low pressures are  forecast to enter the East Sea this year, about 4-5 of which will have direct impact on the mainland.

The northern, central and Central Highlands region might see more flash floods and landslide in 2015 compared with last year.

The drought in central southern region will last until September this year, while salt intrusion will be increased in the south until May, he warned.-

Sediment impacts estuaries in Phu Yen province

A number of estuaries in the southern central province of Phu Yen are rapidly filling with sediment, greatly impacting the local environment and  fishery resources.

The 800-metre-wide Tan Quy estuary in An Hai commune has been almost completely blocked off while estuaries in Tien Chau in An Ninh Tay  commune and Le Thinh in An Ninh Dong commune have shrunk to only 70 metres and 40 metres in width.

The soil and sand settlement at the Tan Quy estuary that leads to O Loan lagoon has deteriorated the habitat of aquatic species in the waters and  hampered the travel of over 2,300 boats.

Meanwhile, the sediment at Le Thinh has affected the operation of nearly 1,000 boats. Low-tide water level is only 0.8 metres, preventing boats  with 60-horse-power engines to move, said Nguyen Tam, a resident in Le Thinh hamlet.

Facing such circumstances, the Phu Yen provincial People’s Committee has requested Tuy An district authorities to implement three projects  dredging 1.2 million cubic metres of soil and sand at the abovementioned estuaries, along with at the Tien Chau fishing port and Van Cui rivulet.

The committee also emphasised the importance of avoiding erosion while dredging sediment. The dredging in Tuy An district is expected to be  finished within this year.

Diseases on wane in HCM City

HCM City saw a decline in the number of cases of dengue fever, measles, chicken pox, whooping cough, diarrhoea, mumps and Rubella in April compared to the first three months of the year, according to the city's Preventive Health Centre.

The number of hand-foot-mouth diseases, however, increased slightly during the period.

Despite a lower incidence of disease, the head of the centre Nguyen Tri Dung said that people should continue to take preventive measures as the hot weather promoted the spread of viruses.

Dung spoke at a monthly meeting between the municipal Department of Health and districts' health divisions.

The city had a total of 496 dengue fever cases in April, a drop of 35 per cent compared to March.

Chicken pox and mumps outbreaks did not occur at kindergartens or primary schools, he added.

In April, the city recorded 631 cases of hand-foot-mouth disease, an increase of 14 per cent compared to March. The peak season for the disease is near, he said.

He urged parents to have their children vaccinated and ensure adequate hygiene.

If they show symptoms of disease, the children should be taken to the hospital for treatment and examination. And they should stay at home to avoid transmitting the virus to other children, he said.

Nguyen Thi Huynh Mai, deputy head of the city's Food Safety and Hygiene Division, said the hot weather created favourable conditions for harmful bacteria in food.

People should eat well-cooked food and boil tap water, she said.

She has asked districts' preventive-health centres to conduct inspections and take samples of food from school and factory canteens for testing. Bottled water will also be tested for contamination as well.

Tornados cause serious damages in Nghe An

A series of tornadoes swept central Nghe An Province over the past week, causing property damages of  more than VND28bn.

Nguyen Sy Hung, deputy director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said several storms and heavy rain hit seven districts -- Tuong Duong, Con Cuon, Tan Ky, Anh Son, Thanh Chuong, Que Phong and Quy Hop from April 29 to May 4.

The stormed seriously damaged 14 houses, unroofed 894 others, with water damage to household items.

Tornados damaged seven schools and several classrooms, and destroyed some 325ha of rice and 894ha of other crops and vegetables.

Total damage was estimated at more than VND28bn.

Local authorities have helped local residents in the aftermath, providing emergency funding to families hit with big losses.

Half of people living with HIV treated: Health Ministry

As per the figures of the Ministry of Health’s Vietnam Administration of HIV/ AIDS Prevention and Control, Ho Chi Minh City has just collected half of HIV-infected people.

Therefore, the remaining patient in the society will be untreated and become a source of spreading of the disease.

Meantime, Tieu Thi Thu Van, office manager of the committee for HIV/AIDS prevention, said that the city is treating around 25,000 people living with HIV/ AIDS.

Currently 31 medical centers which provide treatment with ARV drug are overloaded with people living with HIV/AIDS. A maximum of patients in each center is from 700-800 however some in districts Binh Thanh and Thu Duc have registered of over 1,500 patients.

Local gov’ts support vocational trainees

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has ordered local governments to support training fee for those who are studying at vocational training centers.

In addition, the governments should provide meal and transportation fee for those people who are people from families serving the nation’s revolution, ethnic minority groups, disabled people, poor families ; those who are from families whose agriculture land was reclaimed; and unemployed female employees.

Related agencies should check the effectiveness of vocational training and whether the trainees have jobs after the course.

In addition, agencies should guarantee the fairness between private and state centers and there is no discrimination between them. Training courses should be connected with trainees’ demand and reality. Especially, trainees in countryside districts will just receive training courses after they are employed and training will help increase their income.

People’s committees in provinces should be determined in selecting training centers and they would be held accountable for the effectiveness and result of vocational training.

High-capacity bikes should be allowed to use car lanes on expressways: seminar

High-capacity motorcycles with a cylinder capacity of over 175 cubic centimeters (cc) should be allowed to run in lanes for cars or on expressways, participants at a seminar said.

Both users of such motorbikes and officials at traffic agencies shared the above view at a workshop held in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday centered on “Traffic Safety and High-Capacity Motorbikes.”

The event was jointly organized by the National Traffic Safety Committee, Harley-Davidson Vietnam, and the Saigon HOG (Harley Davidson Owners Group) Club.

Pham Manh Luan, a member of the club, said exams for driver’s licenses of category A1 (with cylinder volume from 50 cc to less than 175 cc) and A2 (from 175 cc and over) are different, with examinees for an A2 driver’s license facing a more difficult examination than those for an A1 driver’s license.

However, when traveling on streets, both types of bikes have to use the same lane with the same speed limits, Luan said, considering this dangerous.

Another participant explained that high-capacity bikes cannot travel at 30-40 km like bikes under 175 cc, but if they travel at higher speeds, they will violate regulations on speed limits and face penalties.

“Is it advisable that high-capacity bikes be allowed to run in the same lane as cars and even on expressways?” Luan said.

There have been many cases in which high-capacity bikes, while driving along with those under 175 cc, have caused accidents after running at higher speeds than allowed or encroaching on lanes for cars, said Major Nguyen Trung Phong, deputy head of the municipal Traffic Police Department.

When it comes to high-capacity bikes, two issues to be mentioned are their speed and which lanes are for them, said Nguyen Ngoc Tuong, deputy head of the Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Safety Committee.

Such bikes usually run at high speed, so their drivers feel uncomfortable when having to travel in the same lanes as those under 175 cc.

Sharing the same view with Tuong, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Tran Huu Toan, deputy head of the Patrol and Control Division under the Ministry of Public Security’s Traffic Police Department, said a number of countries allow high-capacity bikes to use car lanes.

Khuat Viet Hung, deputy chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee, said he recorded this proposal and will raise it as a proposed amendment to the Road Traffic Law at a meeting to review the implementation of this law in the future.

According to the Vietnam Register, from 2004 to the end of April 2015, 8,682 motorcycles over 175 cc were imported into the country.

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City has about 13,700 high-capacity motorbikes, accounting for 48 percent of the total number of such bikes nationwide, Major Phong said.

Dien Bien's largest power plant to generate electricity in May

Nam Muc hydroelectric power plant in Muong Cha district, Dien Bien province, the largest of its kind in Dien Bien, will generate electricity this May after the successful idle run of the first turbine.

The first turbine of the plant was successfully put into no-load operation by Nam Muc Hydropower Company under the Bitexco Group on May 6.

The power project has been in place since 2006 comprising two turbines with a total capacity of 44MW which will generate 176.33 million KWh of electricity each year.

After the idle run, the first turbine of Nam Muc plant will join the national grid this May, contributing to improving the local economy and the living standards of local people in Dien Bien.

The second turbine is scheduled to start an idle run and generate electricity in June this year.

So far, construction work on the plant is nearly complete and local residents who lost land for the project have received compensation.

Lao Cai: Hundreds evacuated from vulnerable areas

Authorities in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai will evacuate nearly 150 households residing around areas prone to floods and landslides before July 30, a local official said.

The province is working to finalise a plan for preventing calamities and implementing rescue measures, said Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and Deputy Head of the provincial Steering Committee for Flood Prevention and Control Nguyen Anh Tuan

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Duong said that district and commune level authorities need to map out solutions to limit flood impacts.

Currently, relevant agencies in the locality are able to mobilise 100 trucks, 30 coaches and 20 ambulances. Meanwhile, local businesses have prepared 80 tonnes of un-husked rice and 600 tonnes of husked rice and reserved 300 cubic metres of gasoline for emergency situations.

Lao Cai is one of the provinces hardest hit by natural disasters during the rainy season. In 2008, a village in the province was swept away by landslides.

This year, Vietnam is expected to face 7-8 major storms, causing heavy rains and flash floods in mountainous areas.

Non-governmental organisations gather in HCM City

The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) held a gathering for international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) on May 7.

Chairman of the union Le Hung Quoc recognised the significant contributions made by the INGOs and individuals to the city’s socio-economic development, including poverty alleviation.

He thanked INGOs, diplomatic agencies and business associations for supporting the local underprivileged both materially and spiritually.

In 2014, the city received 40 million USD in aid from INGOs, including cancer medicine treatment funded by the Switzerland Novartis Pharma AG group for the municipal Cancer Hospital and Blood Transfusion Hospital.

More than 150 INGOs are operating in Ho Chi Minh City , mainly from the US , Europe and the Asia-Pacific.

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