Content on natural disaster prevention in road traffic in Vietnam from January 1, 2025

Content on natural disaster prevention in road traffic in Vietnam from January 1, 2025​ (Image from Internet)

On November 15, 2024, the Minister of Transport of Vietnam issued Circular 40/2024/TT-BGTVT regulating the work of prevention, response, and recovery from natural disasters in road traffic.

Content on natural disaster prevention in road traffic in Vietnam from January 1, 2025

Road management agencies, Road Management Regions, Project Management Boards, individuals managing and using roads, companies investing in the construction and management of road works within their management scope have the responsibility to implement the following natural disaster prevention contents:

- Develop disaster prevention and response plans to mitigate the impact of natural disasters on the road infrastructure system and road vehicles; prevent risks of damage or destruction of structures when disasters occur.

- Regularly inspect and assess the safety level of structures that need protection. If damage or degradation is detected, promptly take remedial measures; if it exceeds capacity or authority, immediately report to the higher authority for handling and remediation before storm and flood seasons.

- Develop disaster prevention plans. The plans should anticipate possible disaster incidents; project the level of impact on roadworks, equipment, assets, workshops, road transport vehicles and devise appropriate handling measures according to the following content:

+ Measures to reinforce, repair to protect structures, stockpiling facilities, workshops, equipment, and goods;

+ Evacuation plans for vehicles, equipment, goods; rescue plans, rescue of passengers, goods;

+ Reserve materials and backup equipment to prevent disasters causing road landslides, prolonged road traffic interruptions;

+ Measures to prevent objects from hitting, floating into bridge and culvert structures during floods;

+ Traffic assurance plans and traffic diversion when roadblock incidents occur on national roads and local roads;

+ Establish information policies for emergency situations during disasters. Anticipate possible situations such as power outages, communication interruptions to proactively prevent and quickly and effectively handle situations when they arise;

+ List of warehouses containing equipment and backup materials; areas for dumping landslide debris for convenient handling of road traffic incidents.

- Enhance inspections of disaster prevention work, especially at critical and vulnerable works.

- Organize and participate in training courses, drills on disaster prevention, and rescue in road traffic.

- Command the activities of the unit's force focusing on disaster prevention, response, and recovery.

- Organize the standing duty and update the information on the development of natural disasters.

(Article 5 Circular 40/2024/TT-BGTVT)

Principles of natural disaster prevention, response, and recovery in road traffic in Vietnam

According to Article 4 Circular 40/2024/TT-BGTVT, activities for prevention, response, recovery from natural disasters, and rescue in road traffic must adhere to the following principles:

- Comply with basic principles in natural disaster prevention and rescue activities as stipulated in Article 4 Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

- When disasters weaken or after the weather returns to normal, organizations and individuals as assigned must immediately implement measures to respond and remedy damages to roadworks to restore traffic, ensuring safe, continuous traffic flow.

- Disaster prevention, response, and recovery measures in the planned arrangements must be met with human and material resources according to the four-on-the-spot principle "on-the-spot command; on-the-spot forces; on-the-spot means, materials; on-the-spot logistics" to minimize the consequences of natural disasters and carry out rescue and recovery in the shortest time.

- Ensure safety for people, means participating in disaster prevention, response, recovery, traffic structures, means operating on roads; minimize incidents, accidents caused by the activities of disaster prevention and recovery themselves.

More details can be found in Circular 40/2024/TT-BGTVT effective from January 1, 2025.

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