The Da Nang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development held a workshop on Wednesday to collect opinions from representatives of central units, departments, sectors, localities and experts in the field of natural disaster prevention and control, and environmental protection, about a draft project on building Da Nang into a safe city from natural disasters by 2030.

Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Thanh Hoa (middle) informing about some of the main contents and solutions of the project on building Da Nang into a safe city from natural disasters until 2030. Photo: HOANG HIEP

The draft project sets out a common goal by 2030 of building Da Nang into a city that basically takes the initiative in disaster mitigation and climate change adaption, and reduces the loss of life and property of the State and people.

On the spotlight of the draft project were completing the arrangement and stabilisation of population in natural disaster-prone areas; the construction of storm proof houses or community houses according to the respective scenarios; perfecting infrastructure, specialised equipment and databases in disaster mitigation, and enhancing the capacity of forecasting, monitoring and warning of natural disasters.

Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Thanh Hoa said that the project paid special attention to establishing a specialised agency on disaster prevention, solving the problem of flood drainage in river basins and urban residential areas, expanding the Tho Quang Fishing Wharf which is offering safe shelters from storms for fishing boats, deal with flooding in residential and urban areas, applying science and technology in warning and monitoring of natural disasters, keeping the forest cover rate at 47%, and more.

Mr. Van Phu Chinh, former Director of the Department of Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, now known as the General Department for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, stressed the need for the city to take more effective solutions to reduce storm-caused damage to people and property.

Master's Degree holder Huynh Van Thang, former Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, highlighted the significance of ensuring the safety of water reservoirs, soon assessing the influence of the western ring road on flood drainage, especially flash floods in the Tuy Loan river basin, and exploiting fresh water in a section of Thu Bon River in Giao Thuy area in Quang Nam Province to ensure enough tap water supplies for daily lives of local citizens.

Dr. Le Hung, a lecturer of the University of Science and Technology - the University of Da Nang, suggested the city soon build flood drainage corridors along river routes, especially the Cu De and Yen rivers.

Heed should be paid to adding flood warning levels on river routes and flood warning levels on Yen river at An Trach damp, as well as re-evaluating the need for anti-flood pumping station on  ​​Truong Chi Cuong Street in Hai Chau District.

Reporting by HOANG HIEP - Translating by M.DUNG