Thursday, May 22, 2008

Vietnam's president warns nation to prepare for climate change

Viet Nam News: President Nguyen Minh Triet has told all Vietnamese to be prepared for the effects of climate change. Triet was addressing the nation on Monday, the 62nd national day for dyke management, flood prevention and control of storms and disasters.

In a letter, he said Viet Nam had already suffered some of the effects of global climate change and that storms and floods in the north, centre and south were worse than in recent years. The President said the disaster was complicated and unpredictable, so all ministries, sectors and localities must educate people about the situation and create programmes to handle it.

The Government instructed provinces to intensify safety measures against storms that are forecast to lash the country this year. In an online meeting with leaders from 34 coastal provinces last weekend, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai in Ha Noi ordered them to focus on evacuation, stockpiling food and medicines, and rescue efforts. He said natural disasters already cost the nation one per cent of GDP each year….

Bolstering a dike at the Tra Khuc River in Quang Ngai. The photo is by Thanh Long, VNA/VNS Photo

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