In early November, prolonged heavy rains caused a sudden increase in the amount of water flowing into the reservoir system in the Central region. In Ba Ha River (Dak Lak province), the flood flow reached more than 16,000 m3/s on November 19, forcing the plant to release large discharge to ensure the safety of the lake. Strong water flows downstream in a short time have caused deep flooding in many areas, showing great pressure on irrigation infrastructure, hydropower and the ability to proactively respond to localities in the context of natural disasters changing to a more extreme direction.
In this situation, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien said that the leaders of the ministry have met and made recommendations to the Government. The Deputy Minister said that it is necessary to look at the problem as a whole, based on the characteristics of each region and the characteristics of floods in recent years. He said that the irrigation, hydropower, and inter-reservoir operation systems can only operate effectively when the responsibilities of each ministry and branch are regulated uniformly and closely.
Based on the assessment of the increasingly dense and unusual flood situation, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien said that the development of a system of solutions must stick to the natural conditions of each region.
"The northern mountainous region has steep terrain, requiring separate solutions for the irrigation system and natural disaster prevention. Meanwhile, the Red River Delta and Mekong Delta are flat, and solutions for drainage and flood prevention must be calculated. As for the Central, North Central, and South Central regions with steep, narrow terrain, they also need a more scientific, strict, and appropriate plan," Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien added.
He said that through field inspections, many reservoirs in Gia Lai or Khanh Hoa with significant flood prevention capacity have contributed to reducing flood discharge pressure. "In a new context, it is necessary to review and have new solutions to suit reality," said the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment.
