Digital and information technologies have been applied to reduce the impacts of natural disasters and increase the ability to deal with human and property losses.

Most recently, the entire political system of Da Nang, forces in charge of disaster prevention, search and rescue, and civil defense at all levels, and local people all joined in responding to the recent tropical depression and storm No. 4.

The city leaders directed localities to apply technologies and information technology in natural disaster prevention work.

Specifically, authorities in Hoa Vang District and Son Tra District were urged to install surveillance cameras at areas at high risk of landslides such as La Nga Pass, and Son Tra Peninsula.

Technology has been widely applied in industries and fields, including forecasting, and solutions to prevent natural disasters. In particular, the Viet Nam Disaster Monitoring System digitizes thousands of data on geography, population distribution, hydrological regime, and flood discharge regime of hydropower plants. This helps localities promptly grasp information according to real-time data to promptly perform disaster prevention and search and rescue tasks.

In recent years, information technology and digital communication (Danang Smart City app, the 1022 Call Centre, Zalo) have been visualised to help functional units and people have clearer and easier-to-understand weather information.

Interactive maps, charts of rainfall, water levels of dams, and flood levels in wards and communes have helped to quickly transmit weather forecast information to users.

The combination of advanced technology and the capabilities of meteorological agencies in the field of weather forecasting will continue helping us respond more effectively to extreme weather situations.

However, scientific studies indicate that extreme weather events such as storms, floods and drought are likely to become more unpredictable, frequent and intense, causing great damage to people and the socio-economic development of the country and localities. Notably, the post-natural disaster recovery needs to be enhanced, applying new technology.

For example, technological devices such as flycams and drones have been put into use to support the post-storm recovery activities in the Northern Viet Nam. Flycams are used to observe and search for people trapped in flooded areas, take photos to find routes, and observe traffic situations so that transport vehicles can enter villages to carry out relief work. Or in flooded areas that cannot be reached by boats or other means of transport, some relief groups have used drones to carry dozens of kilograms of essential goods and dropped them at relief points.

Da Nang is frequently hit by natural disasters, so disaster prevention and search and rescue work is always of top concern. Therefore, the application and addition of new technological equipment such as cameras, flycams, and drones will greatly contribute to improving the effectiveness of disaster response, and search and rescue activities.

Reporting by TRIEU TUNG - Translating by M.DUNG