On February 5, the Government issued Decree No. 53/2026/ND-CP amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decrees in the field of dikes and disaster prevention and control.
Decree No. 53/2026/ND-CP amends and supplements Articles 7, 8, 9 of Decree 66/2021/ND-CP on assigning, decentralizing responsibilities and coordinating in responding to natural disaster risks at levels 1, 2, 3 in the direction of adjusting to suit the governments at 2 levels and transferring the authority of the Chairman of the District People's Committee (PCC) to the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee to implement.
According to new regulations, in disaster risk response at level 1, the Chairman of the Commune-level People's Committee is responsible for directly commanding and mobilizing local resources to respond promptly when a natural disaster occurs; supporting response work when requested by neighboring localities.
They are responsible for directly commanding and mobilizing resources according to their authority, ensuring the principle of transparency and compliance with the provisions of law to respond to natural disasters when receiving requests for assistance from the Chairman of another commune People's Committee and instructions from the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; reporting and being responsible for implementing the direction and command of higher-level natural disaster prevention and control agencies.
The Chairman of the commune-level People's Committee is authorized to mobilize the following resources to respond to natural disasters:
- Commune-level disaster prevention and control shock force;
- Police forces, militia, self-defense forces, forces participating in protecting security and order at the grassroots level, youth, organizations and individuals in the area and voluntary organizations and individuals according to the provisions of law; requesting competent authorities to mobilize military forces in the area to respond to natural disasters according to the provisions of law;
- Reserve materials prepared by the people; materials, equipment, and vehicles of communes and organizations and individuals operating in the area.
In disaster risk response at level 2, the Chairman of the Commune-level People's Committee organizes the implementation of tasks specified in disaster risk response at level 1; complies with the command of higher-level agencies; guides and organizes the evacuation of people to safe places; decides to organize forced evacuation in cases where organizations and individuals do not voluntarily comply with directions, commands, and instructions on disaster prevention and avoidance evacuation for the purpose of safety for people.
In responding to level 3 natural disaster risks, the Chairman of the Commune-level People's Committee performs tasks according to regulations in responding to level 2 natural disaster risks above in accordance with the specific situation in the locality; complying with the direction and command of higher-level agencies.
Decree No. 53/2026/ND-CP amends and supplements Clause 2 and Clause 4 of Article 19 of Decree No. 66/2021/ND-CP on emergency support for population relocation in the direction of replacing the phrase "Command Board for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue" with "Civil Defense Command Board"; merging the authority of the Chairman of the District and Commune People's Committees to be consistent with the local governments at 2 levels.
Thus, in emergency support for population relocation, the Civil Defense Command at the commune level mobilizes shock forces to prevent and combat natural disasters and local forces to review and determine the number of households needing urgent relocation.
The Civil Defense Command of the commune level summarizes the number of households in need of urgent relocation and the need for relocation support, and reports to the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune level.
