1.000 flood warning stations nationwide support proactive disaster response

According to Dr. Cao Duc Phat, former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Chairman of the Management Council of the Disaster Prevention Community Fund, over the past years, Vietnam has continuously suffered many widespread typhoons and floods with severe intensity and many historically significant indicators.

In disaster response, preventive measures always play a key role, starting with the capacity for monitoring, forecasting, and early warning. In recent years, the government, along with businesses, social organizations, and the international community, has invested in strengthening observation and forecasting capabilities, achieving significant progress, particularly in storm prediction. However, as natural disasters become increasingly unpredictable and diverse, monitoring and warning systems still face limitations compared to practical needs.

“Conversely, the rapid development of science and technology, especially digital technology and artificial intelligence, is opening new opportunities to enhance forecasting efficiency. Beyond satellite data, many automated devices, rain gauges, radars, temperature and wind sensors, water level and flow meters, and soil movement monitors, are being deployed, enabling faster data integration, more precise local simulations, and timely transmission of information to the public,” Dr. Cao Duc Phat noted.

Over the past 17 years, the Disaster Prevention Community Fund has mobilized social resources to install nearly 1,000 automated rain gauge and flood warning stations. The Fund continues to support the deployment of salinity monitoring devices, landslide warning systems, digital alert platforms, and local rapid-response disaster prevention teams.

Experts suggest that while the nation focuses on supporting people in the Central region through difficult times, it is also crucial to consider the application of science and technology to develop precise warning simulations. Localities need to study and build flood and landslide risk models for each area and level, gradually refining them to enable proactive alerts. These technologies only become effective when combined with investments in monitoring equipment, warning systems, and a stable, long-term operational framework.

Highlighting notable projects implemented by the Fund amid increasingly complex climate change, Dr. Ha Thuy Hanh, Deputy Director of the Disaster Prevention Community Fund, explained that the Fund has constructed community disaster prevention structures in the form of sturdy two-story houses in areas frequently affected by storms, floods, and inundation.

“When the weather is normal, these structures serve community needs such as classrooms, health stations, or cultural activities. During disasters, they become safe shelters for about 200 people per facility,” said Dr. Ha Thuy Hanh.

In the area of drowning prevention, the school swimming pool project has helped integrate swimming into the primary school curriculum, aiming to reduce tragic accidents among children. Covered pools with protective walls have allowed tens of thousands of students to learn swimming in a safe environment.

Since 2016, the Fund has supported localities affected by salinity intrusion by building or upgrading 25 water treatment plants and clean water supply systems, while also providing storage tanks and pipes for residents to store water for the dry season. The total support amounts to approximately USD 6.2 million across 10 provinces and cities.

With the goal of “Ensuring no student has to drop out due to natural disasters,” the “For a Green Future” program provides savings books worth USD 385 to students who lost family members or homes in floods, helping them continue their education through grade 12. The program also offers emergency support of USD 77-192 to disadvantaged students to replace books, clothing, and school supplies after disasters.

Additionally, the Fund collaborates with the Vietnam Women’s Union to implement revolving funds for poor women to develop livelihoods and save for repairing homes to withstand natural disasters. Beyond financial support, women receive training in production techniques, financial management, and climate change adaptation skills. The project initially assisted 746 households and expanded to an additional 335 households through the revolving fund.

In the field of early warning, from 2016 to 2025, the Disaster Prevention Community Fund supported the installation of rainfall stations, flood warning towers, and landslide alert systems across various localities, enhancing the response capacity of communities and authorities. In parallel, the Fund implemented forest planting and restoration projects, particularly protective mangrove forests in Thanh Hoa, Quang Binh, Soc Trang, and Bac Lieu, helping reduce natural disasters, protect the environment, and provide sustainable livelihoods for local people.

During 2011-2014, the Fund supported the establishment of 85 commune-level rapid response teams, organized 16 training courses, and provided rescue equipment, with a total budget of over USD 346,000, contributing to building local capacities for disaster response.

Looking ahead, the Fund will focus on applying technology in early warning, developing real-time monitoring and management systems, conducting community evacuation drills, expanding mangrove reforestation, and strengthening the response capacity of both local forces and residents.

“The Disaster Prevention Community Fund hopes to continue receiving the support of domestic and international enterprises and sponsors, to connect communities and enhance on-site response capabilities. The long-term goal is to build safe, proactive, and resilient communities against all disaster risks,” emphasized Dr. Ha Thuy Hanh.

According to Mr. Le Trong Dam, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Vietnam Agriculture and Nature Newspaper, the activities of the Disaster Prevention Community Fund have increasingly demonstrated their important role, especially when state resources are still insufficient to fully meet the needs for disaster prevention and post-storm recovery.

The Fund’s initiatives range from building community shelters, repairing damaged infrastructure, investing in schools in disaster-prone areas, constructing school swimming pools to prevent drowning, planting protective forests, to awarding scholarships for disadvantaged students. Many of these models have been scaled up and become effective supplementary resources for the government in disaster prevention and recovery efforts.