Houses in HCM City are to be better equiped to withstand natural disasters. — Photo laodong.vn

HCM CITY — HCM City is set to adopt new safety criteria for disaster prevention in residential building construction with effect from March 15.

Its People’s Committee has outlined the general criteria to ensure resilience against natural disasters over various stages of construction, starting with prohibited zones for construction that include hillsides, mountains and riverine and coastal areas at risk of landslides or earthquakes.

In flood-prone regions, houses must be built to withstand water pressure, and the lowest floor has to be higher than the peak flood level recorded in the previous five years.

In lightning-prone areas, all houses and structures must be equipped with lightning protection systems.

In the case of existing houses, owners need to strictly comply with all disaster prevention directives issued by relevant authorities.

In other regulations, in the case of natural disasters, people should only leave their houses or evacuation shelters after official confirmation that the situation is safe.

All equipment and facilities must undergo safety inspections before reuse after evacuation.

The city also issued criteria for households to prepare for upcoming natural disasters.

Families must maintain emergency kits with flashlights, radios, batteries, warm clothing, and first-aid supplies, and stock clean water, clothing, dry food, ID documents, and cash.

These must be sufficient for three to seven days to ensure survival during evacuations or periods of isolation while awaiting rescue.

Home owners are also requires to prepare boats, lifebuoys and improvised rafts, as well as rooftop exits.

They should also regularly inspect their gas stoves and gas cylinders to prevent fires and leaks during disasters. — VNS