On August 21, the Department of Management and Construction of Irrigation Works (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) issued a telegram on ensuring the safety of irrigation works, preventing flooding and waterlogging for agricultural production, and rural domestic water shortage due to the impact of heavy rain in provinces and cities in the Northeast region and from Thanh Hoa to Nghe An.
According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, at 7:00 AM on August 21, the center of the tropical depression was at about 20.3 degrees North latitude; 108.5 degrees East longitude, over the Northern Gulf of Tonkin area, about 100km east of Bach Long Vi special zone. The strongest wind in the area near the center of the tropical depression is strong at level 7, gusting at level 9, moving in the Northwest direction at a speed of about 5km/h.
From August 21 to the night of August 22, the Northeast and Thanh Hoa will have moderate rain, heavy rain and thunderstorms, common rainfall of 70-150mm, locally over 300mm; risk of heavy rain intensity over 120mm in one hour. Nghe An on August 21 will have common rain of 20-40mm, locally over 80mm.
Faced with weather developments, the Department requests units to continue to closely monitor rain and flood forecast bulletins; inspect the safety of irrigation works, especially key works, dams, and reservoirs in areas where heavy rain has just occurred.
For reservoirs under construction, deep-lying works, underground works, and drainage works, it is necessary to prepare plans to ensure safety for people, machinery, and equipment; urgently repair damaged items after recent rains and floods.
Localities must zone areas of crops at risk of flooding and drainage and develop appropriate drainage plans. Pumping buffer water needs to be based on forecast information; when heavy rain and flooding occur, it is necessary to operate the maximum capacity of irrigation works, prioritizing flood reduction for residential areas, industrial areas and high-value crops.
For reservoirs with flood discharge valves, management units need to base on rain forecasts to develop operating scenarios, proactively lower flood reception water levels but not discharge unusual floods causing downstream unsafety; and at the same time, warn people early before discharging floods or when there is a risk of incidents.
Reservoirs with low storage capacity or those that have reached the permitted water storage time need to review and update plans and gradually store water in accordance with rain forecasts, in order to proactively control water sources to prevent and combat drought and water shortages in the upcoming dry season due to the impact of El Nino. Water storage must ensure absolute safety of the works.
For damaged, degraded or at risk of unsafe reservoirs, management agencies must have measures to limit or not store water; organize warnings, guard duty, arrange forces and supplies, prepare "4 on-site" plans and evacuate people from downstream areas when necessary.
The Department also requested guidance for people to collect, store, and treat water when there is no clean water; use water economically and safely; organize 24/24 hour duty during rain and floods, arrange on-duty personnel at works at risk of incidents and promptly handle unusual situations.
