In 2014, natural disasters claimed the lives of 133 people, injured 145 others, collapsed 2,000 houses, inundated over 42,000 others, damaged over 230,000 hectares of crops, and collapsed millions of cubic metres of land and stones, causing a loss estimated at some VND2.83 trillion.

Natural disasters caused great losses to localities. (Photo: CAO)

The information was released during a meeting recently held by the central steering committee on natural disaster prevention in collaboration with the national committee on rescue work to review natural disaster prevention and rescue work in 2014 and carry out the work for 2015.

Despite the nation’s economic difficulties, the Party, State and Government as well as ministries and localities, give the highest priority to natural disaster prevention and support to disaster-stricken localities to mitigate the consequences. In 2014, the Prime Minister decided to assist those localities with some VND1.538 trillion, 2,000 tons of rice, 1,400 tons of rice seedlings, 267 tons of maize seedlings, and over 17 tons of seeds.

There was strict collaboration between the central and local level in mitigating the consequences of natural disasters. Accordingly, the Ministry of National Defence mobilized over 85,000 cadres and soldiers to join the effort. Some 1,213 means of materials were gathered to do rescue work at sea; 1,200 rescue cases were conducted, involving nearly 1,200 people. Moreover, 350,000 means of transport with one million people were informed of dangerous weather condition for shelter, while nearly 21,300 families in dangerous areas were evacuated to safe places.

For effective prevention and mitigation of natural disasters’ consequences in 2015, according to participants at the meeting, it was necessary to complete law-regulated documents and to re-check the national strategy on natural disaster prevention in conditions of climate change and rising sea levels.

In addition, dissemination of information on the implementation of the laws on natural disaster prevention and related legal documents among communities was suggested, while a mechanism on mobilization of communities in preventing natural disasters and joining rescue work was to be studied./.

( Compiled by VNF )