Digital transformation in early disaster warning

According to Mr. Bui Quang Huy, Deputy Director of the Center for Disaster Prevention Policy and Technology under the VDDMA, the increasing complexity of natural disasters requires a more proactive and modernized approach to disaster response.

“Despite numerous efforts and the deployment of various technologies, there remain limitations that must be acknowledged. One major challenge is that the responsibilities at the commune level have become significantly heavier. Previously, communes mainly followed instructions from the district level; now they must both issue directives and directly organize response operations. Coordination among communes, as well as between communes and the provincial level, is also difficult due to large geographic areas and uneven resources,” Mr. Huy noted.

He further emphasized that digital transformation is an urgent requirement, yet many localities still confuse “IT application” with true “digital transformation.” Technology alone is not enough if people do not change their mindset, leading to operational constraints. The core objective of early warning is not merely sending out information: It must ensure that communities receive it, understand it, know what to do, and are able to act accordingly.

The Center for Disaster Prevention Policy and Technology is currently developing a provincial-level disaster monitoring system, piloted in Ha Tinh, which connects data across central, provincial and communal levels, as well as the wider community. The system features two interfaces: one for the public to track hazard developments, receive response guidance, and submit feedback; and one for command and control, integrating real-time data to monitor evacuation progress and manage safety locations through a digital map.

According to Mr. Huy, the software that supports the development of evacuation plans has already been applied in real-world drills, enabling local authorities to adjust their plans based on evolving disaster scenarios rather than static paper maps. Ultimately, all technologies and models aim to safeguard lives and property, ensuring that communities can take proactive measures in the face of natural hazards.

In response to the urgent need for early warning and the broader shift toward smart urban development, the Water Resources Development and Consulting Company (WATEC) has researched and developed the VFASS automated flood monitoring system.

Mr. Le Viet Xe, Deputy Director of WATEC, stated that the system uses radar sensors to measure flood depth, connected to the VFASS Datalogger via RS-485 or LoRa, with continuous data transmission over 3G/4G networks. Specifically, the devices operate on solar power with backup sources and automatically issue alerts when water levels exceed thresholds or when anomalies are detected.

“All data is processed on a cloud platform developed by WATEC, allowing centralized management, large-scale national data analysis, and flexible sharing via API. Both citizens and authorities can monitor flood conditions and receive real-time alerts through web and mobile applications,” Mr. Xe explained. “In addition, VFASS can link with rain gauges, water-level stations, and flood alert towers to automatically issue multi-channel warnings when rainfall, flood depth, or water levels exceed set thresholds.”

Similarly, the flash flood and landslide warning stations are designed with a closed-loop workflow: sensor - data processing - transmission - display - alert. The system offers many advantages, including full-lifecycle device warranty, cloud-based flexible expansion, high interactivity, unlimited IoT connectivity, and LoRa operation independent of telecom networks. This ensures stable operation even when communication infrastructure is disrupted. Data is updated quickly, freely, and can be customized to meet the specific needs of each locality.

Within this group of solutions, VFASS has demonstrated clear effectiveness through real-time water level monitoring, multi-channel early warning, and the “all-in-one” flood alert tower model, which can be easily deployed in urban and residential areas.

“The system operates automatically, monitoring the status of batteries, connections, sensors, and servers, while providing data for flood forecasting models and the creation of inundation maps. VFASS is also compatible with various industrial standards such as Modbus RTU, LoRa, and RS-485, helping to reduce flood damage, support urban planning, and enhance disaster prevention capacity. Currently, we have deployed 140 flood alert towers, automated flood monitoring stations, and over 70 warning stations nationwide, and the system has also been exported to the Philippines,” shared the Deputy Director of WATEC.