Since the 2020 floods which caused heavy losses in Vietnam, the country has taken several steps to mitigate the impact of devastating flooding caused by tropical storms, especially in the Hue region of Central Vietnam which has become a role model for other countries.
“During the 2020 floods, the water rose very quickly. Within a few hours, my house was flooded by up to half a meter. All the homes in the neighborhood were full of water. We tried to keep property and people safe by relocating the elderly and children to higher floors where there were tables and chairs for them to sit on. We suffered great damage like collapsed houses and the loss of possessions,” says Nguyễn Văn Tia, a local resident.
After 2020 there has been flooding in the region but losses were minimal as people are very active when storms and flooding occur. In addition, the wards in the local areas had established storm and flood prevention teams.
The ward team along with the local authorities distributes life-saving equipment like boats, life jackets, and outboard motors. As a precautionary measure during floods families that live in lower areas can relocate to higher buildings to avoid flood and storm impacts.
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A well-established mechanism has enabled the people in the region to evacuate the area once the flood warnings come in. They help each other and evacuate the most vulnerable people first.
The team has been playing a key role in reminding everyone to protect their houses. The local residents are building elevated houses because of which compared to the 1999 flooding, the water did not rise nearly as high in more recent flooding occurrences.
The FloodAdaptVN program coordinated by the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security started in 2019 has also benefited the local residents a lot.
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During the 2020 flooding, the residents were prepared for the flood risks in advance as they had been warned on time by local media as well as mass media such as television broadcasts. They were quick to clean up the surrounding environment to prevent waterborne diseases to keep people from falling sick, or even dying in the aftermath of flooding.
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