Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has called on localities to begin making preparations for the upcoming storm season with several powerful storms forecasted.

The deputy PM stated that Viet Nam is facing serious natural threats as a result of climate change and the country should ready itself to minimise human losses and property damage caused by catastrophic disasters.

Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai says Viet Nam should be prepared for disastrous storms in 2014.

He said that both the authorities and people should be better prepared for possible super storms such as Typhoon Haiyan that killed thousands of people as it swept through the Philippines in November last year.

Deputy PM Hai said dykes and houses should be reinforced and evacuation plans be devised in advance as storms are usually coupled with severe flooding.

In 2013, Viet Nam was hit by 15 storms, three of which had sustained winds exceeding force 12 on the Beaufort scale, equivalent to 118 kilometres per hour.

Storms, floods and other natural disasters killed 285 people and injured another 859, according to a report compiled from data provided by local governments.

They caused extensive damage to properties and crops worth an estimated VND28 trillion (US$1.32 billion) in 2013.

It is forecast that a smaller number of storms, about 9-10, will hit Viet Nam this year but some can have sustained winds of over 180 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 220 kilometres per hour.

(Source: Nhan Dan Online)