Professor and Director General of the Việt Nam Meteorology and Hydrological Administration, Trần Hồng Thái

Professor and Director General of the Việt Nam Meteorology and Hydrological Administration, Trần Hồng Thái, talks to Việt Nam News Agency on the importance of applying high tech in weather forecasting.

What achievements has the Việt Nam Meteorology and Hydrological Administration gained in the last few years?

With big efforts in the last few years, as well as support from advanced technology, the Vietnamese Meteorology and Hydrological Administration has achieved a few notable breakthroughs – a driving force for them to move forward in years to come. Modern equipment and technology has enabled the Meteorology and Hydrology Administration to come up with more reliable weather forecasts, including for floods for all localities nationwide.

In addition, the Việt Nam Meteorology and Hydrological Administration has become an active member of the International Meteorological Organisation (IMO). Việt Nam has been able to have early storm forecasts for 5 days before and between 2 and 3 days for heavy rain. The reliability for such weather forecast is between 80-90 per cent.

What are the challenges that the Việt Nam Meteorology and Hydrological Administration faces?

We still face quite a big challenge in a tropical cyclone track forecasting – particularly its strength and rain fall. One of the difficulties that we are facing right now is the lack of modern equipment in the context of climate change and frequent natural calamities.

In addition, flash floods and land erosion incidents have occurred more frequently in many localities in the up-lands and high mountains.

Climate change has also caused big problems for many countries worldwide, including Việt Nam. Extreme weather has become a big hurdle for our weather forecast mission, particularly flash floods.

Adding to that vast forest destruction and illegal mineral extraction activities have been reported in many localities.  And they have become one of the key factors causing flash floods and landslides in many mountainous regions.

Has the Việt Nam Meteorology and Hydrological Administration adopted any plans to overcome weaknesses in the weather forecast?

We at the Việt Nam Meteorology and Hydrological Administration has developed detailed plans on how to improve the quality of weather forecasts while developing plans on how to evacuate people after natural disasters like big storms, flash floods, landslides and others.

In addition, we at the Việt Nam Meteorology and Hydrological Administration have already adopted a plan on digital application in our assigned missions. In the meantime we will further expand our co-operation with foreign counterparts, particularly Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Finland, the USA and others in the course of digital application.

In the meantime, we will launch many more communication campaigns to raise awareness among the general public on how to take preventive measures and to reduce losses caused by natural calamities. — VNS