Erosion occurs in June 30 in Đào Hữu Cảnh Commune, Châu Phú District, in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang. — VNA/VNS Photo

Localities have been requested to closely manage and inspect the licensing and exploitation of sand in rivers, streams and canals as part of the efforts to prevent landslides which have been occurring frequently recently, especially in the Mekong Delta region of Việt Nam.

It is one of the tasks Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính noted in a dispatch he signed on July 1 on strengthening the prevention and control of landslides. 

This year, there have been 122 landslides in the Mekong Delta region of Việt Nam that damaged houses, dykes, transport infrastructure and mangroves, the dispatch noted. 

Recently, landslides in Lâm Đồng and Bắc Kạn provinces have also caused great damage to people and property.

According to the dispatch, authorities and localities must be proactive in preventing and handling landslides to ensure the safety of people and their property in light of natural disasters. 

The dispatch noted that natural disasters have become more extreme and unpredictable amid the impacts of climate change.

In the dispatch, the PM ordered leaders of ministries and chairpersons of people’s committees of localities, and the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control to be proactive in the direction and implementation of the natural disaster prevention and control work.

Examinations will be conducted in residential areas, schools, health facilities and offices as well as areas near streams, rivers and coastal areas to detect places at high risk of landslides when there is heavy rain.

Localities must relocate (people) or have measures to prevent landslides and evacuate in case of disasters to protect people’s lives and minimise damage to their property and public infrastructure.

They must also have proper measures to support relocated people to resettle their lives.

The dispatch also orders localities to step up management and inspection of licensing and exploitation of sand and gravel from rivers, streams and canals.

At the same time, localities must ensure the supply of construction materials, especially for key national projects and transport infrastructure projects; and strictly handle cases of illegal mining of sand, gravel and other construction materials in accordance with law, the dispatch said.

Relevant authorities are ordered to monitor safety assurance work at construction sites, especially those located in residential areas near rivers, streams, canals and hillsides.

They must suspend construction work if safety cannot be ensured or if there is a risk of landslides that could affect the flow or drainage.

In the long term, the dispatch noted, it is necessary to tightly control the planning and construction of houses and buildings near rivers, streams, canals, and coastal areas. This aims to address the issue of houses and buildings encroaching on the flow, increasing the risk of landslides and related impacts.

Localities must proactively review and rearrange settlements in areas that are at high risk of landslides or affecting the flow of rivers, streams, canals, and coastal areas, especially in the Mekong Delta region.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is tasked with coordinating with mass media and localities to strengthen communication and to instruct residents to be aware of signs of landslides and erosion so that they can proactively relocate before the disasters occur.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development must develop a database on landslides and update the landslide situation especially in the Mekong Delta region and report to the PM in accordance with the regulation. 

Localities are requested to continue growing trees to attenuate waves as well as further develop coastal mangroves.

The agriculture ministry will coordinate with Cà Mau Province and relevant authorities to research and make a proposal or pilot mechanism to mobilise resources to invest in the riverbank and coastal landslide prevention works. — VNS