Dai Loc commune officials in Da Nang have reviewed areas at risk of deep flooding and isolation so life jackets can be distributed to the people who need them. Poor households and people most vulnerable during floods will be prioritized.
Life jackets prepared before the rainy season
Le Do Tuan Khuong, chairman of the Dai Loc People's Committee, said the commune lies downstream from the Vu Gia and Thu Bon river systems. Prolonged rain upstream, combined with water flowing from rivers and reservoirs, can affect the area quickly.
Low-lying areas, riverbanks and residential zones that may be cut off are usually affected first. Local teams must issue warnings, organize evacuations and protect households that have not yet left. When water rises quickly, even a short delay can make it harder to reach residents.
"Although rescue equipment has received investment, local disaster preparedness still needs to be strengthened, especially equipment for reaching deeply flooded areas, communications equipment, lighting, generators and personal rescue gear," the chairman said.
Khuong said a life jacket protects people traveling by boat or suddenly surrounded by floodwater. A boat can help reach several people at once, while a life jacket protects each individual from drowning. It cannot stop a flood, but it can reduce the risk to life, so it should be provided before the rainy season rather than treated only as post-disaster relief.
Residents need to know how to wear, check and store life jackets correctly, and should prepare a response plan before water levels rise.
Distribution based on flood risk
Of the 1,020 donated life jackets, the commune will send them to high-risk areas and to people who need them. Officials reviewed frequently flooded areas, low-lying and riverside homes, and places that could be cut off. Priority will go to families with children, older people, people with disabilities or illnesses, and anyone who has difficulty moving independently.
Village disaster-prevention teams and local response forces will also receive rescue equipment. Distribution will follow the field review so high-risk areas do not lack protective equipment while less affected areas receive too much.
The commune will include instructions for using the jackets in disaster-prevention communication activities. Residents should know how to put on a jacket, check its condition and avoid risks in floodwater. Authorities also recommend that families decide when to evacuate, assign help for children and older people, choose a safe shelter and keep jackets within reach.
The Dai Loc People's Committee chairman said social programs supporting flood-prone areas are useful when resources go to prevention and reducing damage. Residents and local teams also need rescue equipment, warning systems, safe shelters and flood-response training.
Before the rainy season, Dai Loc officials urged residents to prepare life jackets, flashlights, medicine, drinking water and communication devices, and to follow evacuation instructions. Residents must not return home or remain in dangerous areas to protect property while floodwater is rising.
The program to give 2,040 life jackets to households in Dai Loc and Ha Nha communes was organized by Dân trí, the Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security, local authorities, the Toyota Vietnam Fund and dealerships. The 14 dealerships are Toyota An Sương, Bắc Giang, Bắc Ninh, Bến Tre, Biên Hòa, Cần Thơ, An Giang branch, Hùng Vương, Mỹ Đình, Ninh Kiều, Phú Thọ, Thăng Long, Tiến Thu Quảng Ngãi, Tiền Giang and Trang Lê Quảng Nam.
Sources: Dân Trí
