Severe weather conditions expected in 2015

Vietnam is forecast to experience severe weather conditions in 2015, especially heat waves and droughts, according to the National Hydro-Meteorology Service (HMS).
Vietnam is forecast to experience severe weather conditions in 2015,especially heat waves and droughts, according to the NationalHydro-Meteorology Service (HMS).

At aconference reviewing disaster prevention initiatives in 2014 and plansfor 2015 held in Da Nang city on April 22, the agency said that the ElNino pattern in 2015 will have a negative impact on disaster risk andhydro-meteorological changes in Vietnam.

Vietnamis likely to experience more severe heat waves, droughts and storms,the agency said, adding that rain and flooding will be less severe butmore abnormal.

Drought, water scarcity andsaltwater intrusion will increase in central and south central provincesand could last until September, it said.

Drought may be severe in some districts in southern central provinceswhile transversely some central and the Central Highlands provinces willexperience frequent flash floods and landslides.

The agency committed to make its predictions of disaster risks andhydro-meteorological services adequately rapid and more accurate.

Le Cong Thanh, General Director of the the HMS, said storms, tropicallow pressure, flash floods and whirlwinds in 2014 were below averagelevels but occurred more unpredictably.

Only afew storms landed Vietnam last year but the ones that did caused flashfloods in northern midland and mountainous regions, causing heavydamages to both people and assets, Thanh said, adding that Lang Son citysuffered its worst flood in many years.

In theearly months of 2015, periods of severe drought occurred in manyprovinces, most severely in the southern central provinces, howeverabnormally heavy rain from Thua Thien-Hue to Quang Ngai in late Marchcaused heavy off-season floods.-VNA

See more

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

ASEAN’s goods, culinary culture promoted in Europe

The ASEAN Committee in Prague (ACP) launched an "ASEAN Food Corner" on October 22, aiming to promote the culinary culture and introduce goods from ASEAN countries to consumers in the Czech Republic and Europe at large.

If the plan is approved, public employees will enjoy a continuous 9-day Tet break from January 25 to February 2 next year. (Photo: VNA)

2025 Lunar New Year holiday plan submitted to PM

The Ministry of Labour – Invalids and Social Affairs on October 22 submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister regarding the schedule for the 2025 Lunar New Year (Tet) – Vietnam’s largest traditional celebration – and other national holidays.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Kien Giang continues to take firm stand against IUU fishing

The Standing Board of the Party Committee of southern Kien Giang province has called for strengthening the Party's leadership in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, part of a broader national effort to have the “yellow card” warning lifted by the European Commission (EC).

Yen Bai city in the northern province of Yen Bai is severely affected by Typhoon Yagi. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam receives EU’s humanitarian aid for Typhoon Yagi victims

The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VNRC) Central Committee has received humanitarian response and early recovery support from the European Union and its member states through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)' Emergency Appeal to assist the Vietnamese people affected by Typhoon Yagi and its subsequent floodings.

Conscripted Vietnamese workers honoured with ceremony in France (Photo: VNA)

Conscripted Vietnamese workers honoured with ceremony in France

A solemn ceremony was held on October 20 in the southern city of Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture of France, to mark the 10th anniversary of the memorial dedicated to Indochinese workers who came to work in the Camargue region during World War II.

At the signing ceremony of a cooperation agreement between Bac Lieu and Uiseong county, Gyeongsangbuk-do province on sending local labourers to the RoK to work seasonally under the form of locality-to-locality collaboration between the two countries in the 2023 - 2027 period. (Photo: VNA)

Bac Lieu, Korean locality sign labour cooperation agreement

The Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu on October 21 signed a cooperation agreement with Uiseong county, Gyeongsangbuk-do province of the Republic of Korea (RoK) on sending local labourers to the RoK to work seasonally under the form of locality-to-locality collaboration between the two countries in the 2023 - 2027 period.

(Photo: VNA)

Tien Giang strives to reduce poverty rate to 0.87% this year

The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committees at all levels in the southern province of Tien Giang have collaborated with agencies and organisations to speed up social security programmes, aiming to reduce the province's poverty rate to 0.87% this year, said Vice President of the provincial VFF Committee Huynh Van Hai.

The Chinese sailor is rushed to FV (Franco-Vietnamese) Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for treatment as soon as he is brought to the shore. (Photo: VNA)

Chinese sick sailor on vessel AMIS STAR provided with first aid

A ship from the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (VMRCC) on October 20 provided first aid to critically-ill Chinese sailor on a Liberia-flagged vessel off the coast of the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau before bringing him to the shore for further treatment.

At the meeting between Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vu Chien Thang and UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam respects right to freedom of belief, religion: official

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vu Chien Thang highlighted Vietnam’s consistent policy of respecting and protecting the right to freedom of belief and religion for all people, while meeting with UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif in his recent trip to Switzerland.