Kiên Giang Province’s western sea dyke in An Minh District’s Vân Khánh Tây Commune has become seriously eroded. — VNA/VNS Photo Lê Huy Hải

KIÊN GIANG — The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Kiên Giang is taking measures to control natural disasters in anticipation of extreme weather conditions in the last months of the year.  

The Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue in cooperation with other groups and agencies is mobilising personnel forces, equipment and logistics services in localities.

The province will ensure the safety of people and boats during storms and tropical depressions.

Irrigation systems that drain flood water into the sea will be used in the Long Xuyên Quadrangle, which becomes a deep inundation zone in the flooding season caused by the rising levels of the Mekong River.

Sea dykes will help to secure the safety of the summer – autumn rice crop and the autumn – winter rice crop, while irrigation sluices will regulate water sources effectively.   

The People’s Committee has ordered relevant agencies to urgently solve severe erosion at the western sea dyke in An Minh District’s Vân Khánh Tây Commune.  

It has instructed agencies and Kiên Lương District to move 116 households living in the rockslide area of Ba Hòn Mountain to resettlement areas.

Localities have been told to establish youth volunteer forces to help households consolidate their houses and engage in rescue efforts during emergencies.

The province this year has faced drought, saline intrusion, storm and tropical depressions, strong winds, whirlwinds, lightning, and erosion.

These incidents have flattened 175 houses and blown off the roofs of 446 houses, resulting in three deaths and three people injured, according to the province’s Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue.

From August 1 to 4, heavy rains and strong winds caused by tropical storm Sinlaku flattened 140 houses, blew off the roofs of 376 houses, flooded 32 houses, and injured one person.

During the period, strong winds sank seven boats in Phú Quốc District and two boats in Kiên Hải District, and flattened 1,345ha of banana trees in U Minh Thượng District. Heavy rains in combination with high tides inundated about 6,300ha of summer – autumn rice and 2,360ha of autumn – winter rice in many localities.

Nguyễn Huỳnh Trung, head of the province’s Irrigation Sub – department, said forces were mobilised to solve the aftermath and build temporary shelters for affected households.

Local authorites have provided relief for affected households and called for contributions from the community to help them, he said. — VNS