The sea dyke in Vân Khánh Tây Commune in western Kiên Giang’s An Minh District is severely eroded. — VNA/VNS Photo Lê Huy Hải

KIÊN GIANG — The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Kiên Giang has earmarked VNĐ680 million (US$29,500) to provide relief for households affected by natural disasters in five districts so far this year.

It plans to provide VNĐ4.5 million ($200) each to households in which someone was killed in a natural disaster and VNĐ1.5 million ($65) if someone was injured.

The province will provide VNĐ2.4-6 million ($105-260) to the 76 families whose houses were flattened and VNĐ500,000-2 million ($21-260) to the 136 households who lost their roof.

Natural disasters have killed one person and injured two this year.

Heavy rains and strong winds destroyed, inundated or blew the roof off 632 houses.

They have damaged thousands of hectares of rice and other crops.

Strong winds sank 11 boats at sea.

Strong waves and high tides have eroded coastal dykes, especially in the west in An Minh District’s Vân Khánh Tây Commune.

In all, natural disasters have caused estimated losses of VNĐ11.5 billion ($500,000), according to the province People’s Committee.

The province, the country’s largest rice producer, is expected to have unpredictable weather and suffer from more natural disasters during the rest of the year.

Lâm Minh Thành, deputy chairman of the People’s Committee, has ordered local authorities to review and complete their plans to cope with natural disasters and carry out search and rescue activities.  

They should step up public propagation of measures to combat natural disasters, he said.

The People’s Committee has instructed relevant authorities to check storm shelters for boats for safety and move people living in disaster-prone areas, especially landslides, to safer areas.  

It instructed the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Agriculture and Rural Development Project Management Board to complete disbursement of the VNĐ120 billion ($5.2 million) allotted by the Government for urgent erosion prevention works this month and speed up the work.

It instructed the Department of Transport and Traffic Safety Board to step up safety inspections of waterway transport facilities, especially sea transport and transport of people between the mainland and islands. — VNS