Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management

Crisis and Emergency Management

December 2003 Volume 5 - Number 3

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International Disaster Management...

Viet Nam Flooding and Mitigation…or lack thereof

By Michael Garner

As one can see by scrolling down through the damage report summaries seen below, Viet Nam has experienced more than its share of floods. Along these same lines, this country has also seen far more than its share of damages, injuries, and deaths resulting from these disasters. Over 70% of the population is at risk due to floods, which somewhat helps to explain why these enormous damage figures are seen for most every single flooding event. But why do the damage reports always seem to be so disastrous?

One would think that with these annual cycles of damage and the large percentage of people at risk, that the government and others would place a great emphasis on mitigating the consequences of these disasters. Unfortunately though, this doesn’t seem to be the case…or at least hasn’t been in the past, until now that is.

The good news, is that it seems that a lot of time and energy are now being focused at finally addressing this problem. While researching this topic, it was almost too easy to find information relating to flood mitigation practices in Viet Nam. But, it is quite easy for one to write on a topic, but writing alone doesn’t save property or lives.

Fortunately, the work currently being started and practiced does save lives and property. It even seems that the appropriate resources and capital are also becoming available to Viet Nam, so that they can afford to initiate these plans for the long term. On top of this, there are a number of governments, including the U.S., attempting to work alongside an even larger number of NGO’s in the hope of mitigating this hazard. This work includes literally dozens of plans, making use and studying everything from; sea dikes to early-warning systems, emergency training to structural plans, minimizing water run-off to combating aging infrastructure, you name it and someone is trying it.

Now it looks like all that is left to do is to sit back and see if these programs are going to be successful. The question though, is when will these ideas and plans finally take root and become adopted by the citizens and leaders of the country?

Personally, after seeing the numbers below, I’ll put my money on Mother Nature for at least another 10 years or so…

Viet Nam Damage Report Summaries for the past 20 Some Odd Years:

(in no particular order, and in no way a complete record)

Typhoon - Nov 1993

-71 dead, 59 missing, 5,601 homes destroyed, 11,217 homes damaged

Typhoon - Nov 1995

-16 dead, 51 injured, 4,600 homes destroyed/damaged

Typhoon - Nov 2001

-20 dead, 131 injured, 3,128 homes destroyed, 14,813 homes damaged

Typhoon Agnes - Nov 1984

-134 dead, 650,000 affected, 31,000 homes destroyed, 120,000 homes damaged

Typhoon Angela - Oct 1992

-13 dead, 12 injured, 4 missing, 196 homes destroyed, 6,236 homes damaged

Typhoon Becky - Sep 1990

-16 dead, 108 injured, 3 missing, 100,000+ homes damaged/destroyed

Typhoon Chuck - Jul 1992

-4 dead, 4 injured, 7 missing

Typhoon Dawn - Nov 1998

-267 dead, 92 injured, 16 missing, 9,821 homes destroyed, 470,176 homes damaged

Typhoon Frankie - Jul 1996

-395 dead, 45,000 homes destroyed

Typhoon Fred - Aug 1991

-7 dead, 16 injured, 10 missing, 11,331 homes destroyed, 79,850 homes damaged

Typhoon Irving - Aug 1989

-104 dead, 491 injured, 89,000 homes destroyed, 200,000 damaged

Typhoon Linda - Nov 1997

-464 dead, 857 injured, 3,000 missing, 80,000 homes destroyed, 140,000 damaged

Typhoon Lola - Dec 1993

-41 dead, 20 injured, 32 missing, 939 homes destroyed, 4,104 homes damaged

Typhoon Maury - Nov 1987

-101 dead, 360,000 affected, 52,000 homeless

Typhoon Wayne - Sep 1987

-400 dead, 34 missing, 2,400 injured (500 seriously), 500,000 homes damaged/destroyed

Typhoons - Nov 1988

-101 dead, 36 missing/injured, 600,000 affected, 151,875 homes destroyed/damaged

Typhoons - Oct 1989

-52 dead, 762 injured, 52 missing, 90,000 homes destroyed, 837,000 homes damaged,

Typhoon/Floods - Oct 1985

-93 dead, 1.8 million affected, 1,405 homes destroyed, 120,170 homes damaged

For more information, visit the following websites:

http://www.reliefweb.int

http://www.unescap.org

http://www.undp.org

http://www.aseanfocus.com