The Philippines’ rice imports so far this year have surpassed last year's level and can hit 4.2 million metric tonnes (MT) by the end of 2024, Department of Agriculture (DA) technical advisory group member and former undersecretary for rice industry development Leocadio Sebastian said.

The World Bank (WB) has approved a 500 million USD loan to help the Philippines cope with natural disasters and climate threats, with a particular focus on protecting schools, health facilities, and human settlements.

Vietnam is likely to experience slightly higher temperatures in July this year with one or two typhoons expected to hit the East Sea, according to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

The death toll from floods in the Philippines last week has risen to 51, the Philippine government said on December 3, adding that over 33,000 people still remained in temporary shelters.

It is likely that one or two more typhoons could directly affect Vietnam from the East Sea this year as rainfall is well above average in many localities, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Weather Forecasting (NCHMF).

Vietnam’s search and rescue forces will maintain round-the-clock duty so as to give timely response to natural disasters, particularly when the flood and storm season is coming.

Nearly 40,000 trees on more than 260 streets would be cut back from now until the end of this year to ensure safety during the rainy season, according to the Hanoi Department of Construction.

Climate risk management, covering climate risk insurance, is playing an increasingly important role in preventing and mitigating losses caused by climate change, experts said at a workshop in Hanoi on April 8.

This time last year, many parts of the central region were submerged under floodwater, but this year’s unusual aridity in the middle of the rainy season offers little solace.

Four people were killed and 11 went missing after a ferry capsized on December 21 offshore the town of Real, 70km east of the Philippine capital city of Manila, according to local authorities.

Floodwater from recent typhoons have damaged thousands of one-to-four-year-old peach blossom trees in Tam Diep city in the northern province of Ninh Binh.

Disfigured kitchenware, stained and wet books and flashlights are among the items left behind by fierce typhoons that have hit in the central region of the country.

The impacts of climate change in Vietnam have become more obvious and severe in recent years.