At the recent 2024 summary conference on disaster prevention, search and rescue work and the 2025 task deployment of the provincial Steering Board on Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue, a consensus was reached: Proactiveness is the key factor determining the effectiveness of disaster prevention and response efforts.

A typical lesson on proactiveness was analyzed during the conference - the story of Ma Seo Chứ, Head of Kho Vàng hamlet (Cốc Lầu commune, Bắc Hà district, Lào Cai province), who helped his entire hamlet (17 households with 115 people) escape damage caused by a landslide.

Specifically, on September 9, 2024, the lingering effects of Tropical Storm No.3 (Yagi) caused heavy rain cascading down the mountain ranges and hills behind Kho Vàng hamlet. Sensing the abnormal situation, Ma Seo Chứ proactively inspected and discovered a 30-40m long crack - a clear sign of an impending landslide. He mobilized and directly guided residents to relocate to a safe place about 1km away. Just one day later (September 10), hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of soil and rocks slid down the mountainside, sweeping away the entire Kho Vàng hamlet. Without Ma Seo Chứ’s proactive, decisive actions and strong sense of responsibility, the consequences would have been catastrophic.

Based on this real story, Senior Colonel Lại Mạnh Hùng, Deputy Commander and Chief of the Staff of the Điện Biên provincial Military Command - the standing agency for disaster response and search and rescue - emphasized: When proactive, we can control every situation, respond promptly to reduce losses from disasters. Therefore, Party committees, authorities, and relevant forces must prioritize proactiveness in: developing plans, preparing forces and equipment, organizing drills; intensifying communication to raise awareness and eliminate complacency among the public; ensuring effective and synchronized implementation of tasks.

Since early 2025, the People’s Committee of Tủa Chùa district has directed communes and townships to coordinate with professional agencies to survey and identify areas at risk of landslides, flash floods, and torrents to proactively develop relocation plans before the rainy season. Inspections detected a crack 1 meter wide and 800 meters long in the residential cluster of Háng Khúa, Páo Tỉnh Làng 2 hamlet (Tả Sìn Thàng commune).

Recognizing the urgency, in April, Tủa Chùa district organized the urgent relocation of all 20 households with 118 people to safe locations. From April 15, over 20 days, the district mobilized 81 officers and soldiers from the provincial Military Command, commune police, and 65 militia members to assist in dismantling and moving houses and belongings.

Nguyễn Văn Hưng, Chairman of Tủa Chùa district People’s Committee, said: The district allocated a budget supporting each household with VND 50 million and mobilized local forces to ensure all were relocated safely. So far, 100% of residents and assets have been moved. Additionally, the district has supported 21 other households with VND 30 million each to relocate from high-risk disaster zones.

Mường Mươn commune (Mường Chà district) currently has about 80 households living in disaster-prone areas. At the start of the rainy season, the commune’s Steering Board on Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue proactively notified all villages, especially those in dangerous zones, to raise vigilance and implement disaster prevention measures. During prolonged heavy rains, the commune maintained 24/7 duty at the headquarters, deployed forces locally and flexibly in all 11 villages, ready to respond to any situation. Residents in dangerous zones were requested to relocate to safe areas, and those working in distant fields were informed to return timely for shelter.

In the 2024 rainy season, a landslide at Mường Mươn 2 hamlet (Mường Mươn commune) caused soil and rocks to flood the house of Lò Văn Xuân. The commune supported relocating his home about 10 meters away from the original site. However, the area remains highly risky, so the People’s Committee continues to campaign, urge, and request Xuân to commit to relocating before the 2025 rainy season.

Xuân said: “Since early this year, I proactively hired an excavator to reduce the slope above to minimize landslide risk. But if this year’s rainy season remains complicated, my family will comply with the commune’s request to move to a safe place.”

From the beginning of 2025 until now, the province has been affected by five natural disasters, causing 2 injuries and approximately VND 5.8 billion in property damage. The rainy season is forecasted to bring complex situations, including flash floods, landslides, and torrents.

At the recent 2024 summary conference on disaster prevention, search and rescue work and the 2025 task deployment, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Lò Văn Cương requested all levels, sectors, and localities to proactively review, complete, and implement plans and scenarios suited to each area’s characteristics. Special attention must be given to preventive measures to minimize human and property losses. Localities must respond following the “four on-the-spots” principle (on-the-spot command, on-the-spot forces, on-the-spot equipment and supplies, on-the-spot logistics), mobilizing maximum available local forces and equipment to promptly and effectively handle consequences. Additionally, awareness-raising and skill-building on disaster response must be promoted through multiple channels. In high-risk zones for large floods, flash floods, and landslides, detailed plans must be developed with pre-arranged forces and equipment, ready to respond at the highest alert level to avoid being caught unprepared.