In recent years, landslides, flash floods, and torrential floods have become more frequent and increasingly severe. Given this situation, ensuring sufficient on-site reserves of essential goods has been identified by local authorities as a key task in disaster prevention and search and rescue operations, planned and implemented early in the year.

In Mường Lạn Commune, with its rugged terrain and many villages located deep within core mountainous zones, roads are often narrow, steep, and slippery. Prolonged heavy rains pose constant risks of landslides and road blockages. In extreme weather events, flash floods have completely isolated some villages for days, leading to shortages and hardship for local people. The most recent spell of heavy rain also caused multiple road collapses and disruptions to traffic.

Đào Duy Thạch, Vice Chairman of the Mường Lạn commune People’s Committee, shared: “With a proactive mindset, we’ve coordinated with local merchants to review and plan the stockpiling of essential goods early in the rainy season. We also encourage people to prepare food, medicine, and other necessities on their own. For remote villages, the commune has coordinated with militia and police forces to prepare logistics and transportation means when needed. The goal is to ensure no household goes hungry or lacks basic medicine during the flood season.”

Similarly, in Nậm Kè commune, a border area with complex terrain, the risk of isolation during prolonged rains is ever-present, especially in Pá Mỳ 1 and Pá Mỳ 2, villages formerly under Pá Mỳ commune. Early on, the commune authorities directed mass organizations, police, local health units, and business households to formulate logistics plans under the “four on-the-spot” principle (on-site command, on-site manpower, on-site supplies, and on-site logistics).

Vàng A Câu, a grocery store owner in the commune center, said: “Once the order came, my family began stocking up earlier than in previous years. The recent rains blocked supply trucks, and if we hadn’t prepared, the villagers wouldn’t have had anything to buy. As a business owner, I feel responsible for the community, especially in times of disaster.”

Based on the 2025 essential goods reserve plan for disaster prevention, the Provincial People’s Committee has instructed sectors and localities to develop area-specific plans suitable to local conditions. Priority stockpiled items include: basic food items (rice, dry provisions, instant noodles, salt, sugar, bottled water), fuels, and construction materials (roofing sheets, nails, wire, etc.). Enterprises and business establishments are also encouraged to formulate reserve plans both to maintain regular operations during storms and to be ready to support emergency relief and recovery efforts when mobilized.

Lê Thị Tố Quyên, from the Sales Department of the Điện Biên Petroleum Company, stated: “We have developed plans to ensure stable fuel supply under all scenarios and have proactively increased reserves at remote stores such as Nậm Pồ, Mường Nhé, and Tủa Chùa. Staff have also been trained in emergency response skills to prevent fuel shortages or disruptions during storm season.”

In addition to proactive stockpiling, to stabilize the essential goods market during stormy periods, the provincial People’s Committee has directed relevant agencies to intensify price monitoring and strictly prevent hoarding and profiteering. The focus is on simultaneous inspections in key areas, especially regions frequently affected by natural disasters, to promptly detect and strictly handle violations, stabilize prices, and protect consumers’ legitimate interests.

Lò Văn Âu, Deputy Director of the Market Management Sub-department (under the Department of Industry and Trade), said: “Following the province’s directive, we’ve coordinated closely with functional departments and local authorities to strengthen market inspections, especially at wholesale markets and trade centers in communes. We’ve also required retailers to strictly post prices and sell accordingly. Our top priority is to balance supply and demand of essential goods under all circumstances and prevent hoarding, stockpiling, or illegal price hikes during natural disasters or market fluctuations.”

With the principles of “four on-the-spot” and “three readiness levels” (proactive prevention, timely response, and rapid recovery), preparations for supplying essential goods during the storm season are being actively and practically implemented by local authorities and agencies.

However, in the context of increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters, the adequate and timely preparation of essential goods and the flexible operation of emergency plans is not only an immediate requirement but also a long-term mission. It calls for coordinated and decisive efforts from the entire political system, the participation of the business community, and the proactive and self-reliant spirit of each citizen. This is a critical factor in enhancing disaster prevention and adaptation capacity, ensuring social welfare, and contributing to the successful implementation of local socio-economic development goals.