Central region braces for widespread flooding

Over the past two days, heavy rains have caused water levels in major regional rivers to rise quickly, flooding many parts of provinces from Thua Thien-Hue to Quang Ngai.

Water levels of the Ve River in Quang Ngai province surpassed the third alert level on November 26, leaving thousands of households in Mo Duc and Tu Nghia district deep under water.

Rainfall of up to 300mm was recorded in Son Tay and Ba To districts, disrupting traffic on district and provincial roads. Mountainous communes were completely isolated.

Quang Ngai province mobilised forces to stand by in flooded areas to help local people with evacuation and travel.

Floods caused by torrential rains also completely cut off highland communes in Nam Tra My, Bac Tra My and Tay Giang districts of Quang Nam province. Que Ninh, Phuoc Ninh, Que Trung and Que Lam communes of Nong Son district were between 0.5-1m under water.

Widespread flooding is expected to threaten low-lying areas when Song Tranh II hydro-electric power plant is opening its floodgates to ensure safety of the reservoir.

Local residents were told to leave the low-lying and flash flood-prone areas, and areas along rivers and streams. Policemen, soldiers and volunteers were dispatched to flooded communes to maintain order and help local residents move to higher ground.

In Thua Thien-Hue province, heavy downpours caused water levels of the Huong River to climb to the third alert level on November 26, threatening households living along the two banks of the river.

Binh Dien reservoir discharged floodwater into the Huong River, submerging Phu Hau and Xuan Phu wards in Hue city. Floodwaters inundated many sections of provincial road 14b, preventing local people and vehicle from travelling.

Provincial authorities asked reservoir management boards to strictly observe dam regulations to reduce the volume of floodwaters discharged into the Huong and Bo rivers.

The provincial military command, border guard command and police force were asked to be on duty round the clock to provide assistance if required.

Traffic penalty applies in Thu Thiem tunnel today

A week after the Thu Thiem tunnel underneath the Saigon River in Ho Chi Minh City was opened to traffic, the city police today begin applying penalties to violators of traffic rules inside and outside it.

There was no accident or congestion in the tunnel during its first week in operation, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Tran Thanh Tra, deputy head of the city Police Department’s Road and Railway Traffic Police Division, told Tuoi Tre yesterday.

However, many cars and motorbikes ran at high speeds, overtook other vehicles in wrong ways, or used horn and headlights improperly, he said.

In addition, many motorbike drivers stopped their vehicles in the tunnel or slowed down to take photographs or make a video with their cell phone, hindering other vehicles.

Under a directive from the city people’s committee, the department will coordinate with the tunnel management board in using cameras to record violations and giving penalties to violators on the spot.

The traffic police of District 1’s Ben Thanh Ward will control the traffic outside the tunnel’s ends while other police forces of Districts 1 and 2 will be in charge of the traffic situation inside it.

The officers operating the tunnel’s system of five cameras will notify the police stationed at both ends of the tunnel about traffic violations they have recorded, Tra said.

The cameras will also help to identify traffic accidents and other incidents that occur in the tunnel, he added.

The tunnel, which is 1,490 meters long and 33 meter wide, links District 1 with Thu Thiem New Urban Area in District 2.

Taiwanese fined for opening plane emergency door

The Inspectorate of the Transport Ministry has fined Chuan Wen, a 71-year-old Taiwanese man, VND15 million (US$730) for attempting to open the emergency exit while aboard a Vietnam Airlines plane a week ago.

Wen was caught trying to open the emergency door of the plane while he was on the VN581 flight from Cao Hung, Taiwan to Ho Chi Minh City on November 19, Nguyen Xuan Hao, the ministry’s chief inspector, said.

Wen had unfastened the door bolt and was about to press the “Open” button when another passenger managed to stop him in time, according to a report from relevant agency.

The crew made a report about Wen’s violation of flight safety regulations and then directed the old man back to his seat.

Wen then explained he had wanted to use the restroom but had mistaken the emergency door for its entrance.

Earlier this month, a 22-year-old Vietnamese college student Nguyen Duc Duy, who claimed he was a first-time flyer, opened the emergency door while aboard a plane that was taxiing on the runway at the Tan Son Nhat airport, HCMC.

The HCMC- Hanoi flight, also operated by the national carrier, was delayed for over two hours.

Duy was later fined at the same rate.

Huge amount of leftover bombs, mines line VN

It will take Vietnam a few more centuries to clear hundreds of thousands of tons of bombs, mines and unexploded ordnances (UXO) left over from the Vietnam War that ended in 1975, said Hoang Minh Hong, deputy director of the Vietnam Bomb and Mine Clearance Action Center.

He was speaking at a two-day international conference on advanced mine clearance equipment and technologies that ended in Hanoi yesterday.

Bombs, mines and UXO scatter over all 63 provinces and cities, said Major General Pham Quang Xuan, Commander of the Sappers, who is also deputy head of the National Steering Committee for Settling Consequences caused by UXO (Steering Board 504).

About 6.6 million hectares, or 20.12 percent of the country’s territory, are contaminated with bombs, mines and UXO, and the country needs about US$10 billion to clear all of them, the committee said.

Last year, the country cleared about 50,000 hectares of land that contained bombs, mines and UXO, and at this rate, it will take the country centuries to clear all of them, Hong said.

The conference was held for foreign and local experts to present their advanced mine clearance equipment and technologies and treatment methods for UXO after detection.

They also reported on the challenges and progress in clearing mines, bombs and UXO in Vietnam and discussed advanced technologies applicable to the country.

The event was jointly held by the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF), the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), and the Steering Board 504.

Last year Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung approved a national action program for the 2010-2025 period to settle the consequences caused by UXO. The program aims to mobilize all possible resources to clear mines and bombs to serve the country’s socio-economic development, ensure safety for the citizens, and help integrate victims of mines and bombs into society.

S Korea helps Vietnamese brides in Can Tho

South Korea will provide VND75 million (US$3.570) for 14 Vietnamese brides with broken marriages with South Korean men to help them have a better life in their home city of Can Tho and reintegrate into the community.

The South Korean Consulate and the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ho Chi Minh City presented the money to those people on Friday.

In addition, the South Korean Consulate in HCMC promised to create favorable conditions for those Vietnamese brides to promptly complete divorce procedures.

According to the Can Tho Women’s Union , the city recorded 25 brides returning home from broken marriages with South Korean men due to differences in language, customs and culture or being maltreated.

Can Tho city reported nearly 6,300 marriages with foreigners, 60 percent of them being South Korean citizens.

In future, the Can Tho Women’s Union will coordinate with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family of the South Korea to organize training courses on culture, customs and living skills for migrant brides in order to help them build happy and equal marriages.

AusAID helps Vietnamese flood victims

The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) on Friday announced a donation of AUD500,000 to help flood victims in Mekong delta provinces of Vietnam.

The funds will be channeled to the Vietnam Red Cross Association to help 10,000 households in An Giang, Dong Thap and Long An to overcome the aftermath of floods.

In the next few days, floods victims will be provided with essential household utensils, canvas tents, safe water and water jars, as well as information on prevention of infection diseases and improvement of health.

People in the region will be given loans to buy fishing nets and boats, and build storm-proof houses and hygienic toilets.

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Allaster Cox affirmed that Australia wants to help people in Mekong delta to rapidly overcome the devastation of floods and highly appreciated the role of the Vietnam Red Cross Association’s activities in flooded areas.

Since late September, flood hit seven Mekong delta provinces of Vietnam , causing great losses in live and property.

According to the Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control, by mid-November, floods damaged 153,744 houses and over 1,000 schools, killing 85 people, including 72 children, and damaging 10,861 ha of rice.

30-man teen robbery gang busted in city

As many as 30 young men are being held on suspicion of involving in dozens of robbery cases in Ho Chi Minh City during the past time, local police announced on Friday.

Earlier on November 24 evening, Le Tam Khai Huy, a member of the gang, was arrested for snatching a gold necklace from a woman on Ly Thai To Street on District 10.

According to the police, the gang includes dozens of young men aged between 14 and 27 led by Le Doan Hau, 25, hailing from District 10.

Most of the gang members are from rich families. Many of them are still attending schools, the police said.

The gang members had left their homes to hire rooms in Tan Thanh Loc hotel in District 10 and Kim Thanh hotel in District 3 to stay, gamble and use drugs.

They were divided into smaller groups (around 1-3 members each group) to rob in urban districts 5, 6, 10, and 11 everyday.

They used souped-up motorcycles, which could accelerate to up to 180 kph (112 mph), to commit their crime.

Nails-trap perpetrator faces trial

Nguyen Van Hai, who was caught red handed spreading nails to trap motorcyclists on November 10, has been sent to Ho Chi Minh City’s Social Support Center ahead of his trial, authorities in Thu Duc District’s Linh Trung Ward have said.

After being freed on November 19 because police had not has enough evidence to convict him, the 28-year-old man led a life of a wanderer even without personal papers, according to local police.

The police, therefore, earned him a temporary shelter in the center while still gathering information and evidence from his victims.

By far, 10 victims have convicted him of causing their flat tires.

The police have pledged that they will bring him to justice when they collect enough persuasive evidence to prove his crime.

Earlier on November 10, Hai was arrested while he was scattering nails on streets near Suoi Tien Cultural Park in District 9 neighboring Thu Duc’s District. Police then found roughly 100 sharpen diamond-shaped nails in his shoes at the scene.

Hai also pled his guilty at the police station. He confessed to police that his act is immoral but he had to do so to earn living.

Police also found some tools used for making nails at his repair shop.

The rampant nails-trap cases have recently made the society worried. In response to such scams, the city’s authorities have vowed to act firmly against nails-trap perpetrators.

According to investigators, Hai could be charged with 'destroying property'.

ASEM high-level forum on employment and social policy

An ASEM high-level forum on employment and social policy took place in Hanoi on November 24.

The event was co-chaired by Vietnamese Vice Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thanh Hoa, and Kristin Schreiber, a representative of the European Commission.

The focus of two plenary sessions was on developing vocational skills and jobs for young people, ensuring social welfare for all people, and providing powerful tools for economic growth, decent employment and social cohesion.

Speaking at the forum, Vice Minister Hoa emphasized the significance of the event in the post-crisis period.

She said the global economic downturn has posed many challenges, particularly for employment, social welfare and sustainable development for all countries over the world.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the downturn has left 205 million people jobless and driven 64 million people into poverty.

On November 25, the ASEM Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) for Labour and Employment will be held to review progress made in the implementation of the “Leiden Framework of Action” adopted in 2010.

Participants will discuss the organization, proceedings and substantive issues for the 4th ASEM Labour and Employment Ministers’ Conference (LEMC 4), which will be hosted by Vietnam next year.

Mekong River Commission hands HYCOS over to Vietnam

A national conference has taken place in Hanoi to discuss the roadmap for transferring the key functions of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) in order to ensure sustainable development in the Mekong Basin as well as to protect water and food security.

The event was organized on November 23 by the MRC in coordination with the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

According to the conference, Vietnam will be the first nation out of the four member countries of the MRC to receive the hydrological observing stations of the Mekong Hydrological Cycle Observing System (HYCOS) project from the MRC Secretariat.

Nguyen Thai Lai, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, said Vietnam will quickly implement the transferred functions at its agencies.

The MRC was set up in April 1995 with the signing of an agreement on technical cooperation for sustainable development in the Mekong basin.

Danang holds Vietnam-Taiwan educational forum

Nearly 200 delegates from Vietnam and Taiwan (China) attended an educational forum in the central city of Danang on November 23.  

They discussed ways to promote educational cooperative programs between Vietnam and the Chinese territory.

Since 2008, Taiwan has provided doctoral degree courses for 20 Vietnamese in accordance with a cooperative agreement of training 500 doctors for the country signed between the Vietnam and Taipei Economic and Culture Offices.

About 16,000 Vietnamese students are now studying in Taiwan.