Hanoi (VNA) – Investing intechnology is essential to increase the quality of hydro-meteorologicalanticipation to prevent natural disasters and mitigate their damages, heard aseminar in Hanoi on February 27.

Deputy Director General of the National Centrefor Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting under the Ministry of Natural Resourcesand Environment Tran Hong Thai highlighted the role of hydro-meteorology insustainable development.

He suggested increasing information andexperience exchanges and communications in the field to reduce losses fromnatural disasters.

[Vietnam urged to appoint permanent representatiꦛve to WMO]
Vietnam urged to appꦐoint permanent representative to WMO

 Secretary General of the World MeteorologicalOrganisation (WMO) Petteri Taalas, who is visiting Vietnam, said climate changethreatens sustainable development.

Established in 1950, WMO is a specialised agencyof the United Nations for meteorology, which is able to provide the latestinformation on weather patterns and their influences to improve the capabilityof national weather forecast organisations.

This allows management agencies to build plansfor climate change adaptation in fields such as agriculture, health care,tourism, forestry, industry and infrastructure building.

Deputy head of the consultancy board forVietnam’s National Committee on Climate Change Tran Thuc said natural disastershave caused huge human and material losses across the globe. 

Hydro-meteorological forecasting should receivefurther investment to provide more accurate and timely warnings, herecommended.

Vietnam is one of the countries hardest hit bynatural disasters, climate change and sea level rise. The Southeast Asiancountry experienced severe natural disasters in 2017, resulting in 386 dead andmissing and some 60 trillion VND (2.6 billion USD) worth of damage.-VNA