Foreign Advisers Consult Disasters Mitigation Efforts with Vietnam

Dozens of foreign advisers yesterday attended a seminar in the northern province of Vinh Phuc to consult natural disasters mitigation efforts with Vietnam, state media reported. The event held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is aimed at strengthening capability of Vietnam to cope with God acts and preparing for a law on the issue that will be submitted to the prime minister and the national assembly for consideration soon. The event is part of the ministry’s project to improve capability of Vietnam in mitigating the risks of the disasters that was funded by the United Nations Development Program. Vietnam is one of 10 countries which will be most vulnerable to natural calamities, including tropical storms, floods, landslides and droughts. Natural disasters killed 800 Vietnamese people a year and caused property losses estimated to account for 1%-2% of the country’s GDP between 1996 and 2005. The Southeast Asian country normally suffers around ten storms a year.