Project for emergency reservoir operation and flood management inaugurated

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Mr. Pham Duc Luan, Director of the Department of Dike Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control; Mr. Tsuruoka Hiroki, Second Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Viet Nam; Mr. Sugano Yuiichi, Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) - Vietnam Office; and Mr. Hoang Hai Minh, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and Deputy Head of the Project Steering Committee.

This is a pilot technical assistance project funded by the Japanese government, aiming to protect the safety of historical monuments of Hue Ancient Capital, and limit flood and minimize damage to the basin of the Huong River, with a total investment capital of 18.2 million USD (equivalent to about 414 billion VND), in which Japanese non-refundable ODA capital is 1.8 billion yen (equivalent to over 16.65 million USD).

The project consists of three main objectives, including: minimizing human and property damages due to rain and flood, contributing to ensure the sustainable socio-economic development through the establishment of a reservoir operating framework in emergency situations; building the forecasting and warning system in vulnerable areas in the Huong river basin, contributing to the comprehensive development of the disaster prevention information system; and building a pilot model of reservoir operation in emergency situations and effective flood management so as to research and replicate the model to other river basins.

Delegates visiting the installation location of the project's equipment

 According to the Director of the Department of Dike Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control Pham Duc Luan, thanks to the close direction as well as the coordination of Japanese consulting units and construction contractors, up to now, the main volumes of the project has been completed, and basically meeting the objectives and tasks according to the approved aid agreement and documents. The system of equipment formed from the project has been tested and accepted, and handed over to the beneficiaries for management and using in December 2022.

The event on May 12 marked the completion of the project, applying modern Japanese technologies in serving the natural disaster prevention and control in general, and the inter-reservoir operation in particular.

This is an important event that contributes to deepen the friendship and cooperation between Japan and Vietnam in general, and among the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Provincial People's Committee, the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, and the JICA in particular, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Vietnam (1973-2023).

Cutting the ribbon to inaugurate the project

 Mr. Hoang Hai Minh said that in the period of 2021 - 2023, the Office of the Provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue had used the software products from the project such as the X-band radar images, measuring river water levels, measuring rainfall, and rain forecasting software to assist in consulting, directing and operating reservoirs, monitoring rain and flood; as well as sharing information with agencies and localities in the province, contributing to the good implementation of natural disaster prevention and control.