Disaster severity levels for flash flood, landslides and subsidence due to precipitation, flood or runoff under the law in Vietnam

Disaster severity levels for flash flood, landslides and subsidence due to precipitation, flood or runoff under the law in Vietnam (Image from the Internet)

1. Regulation on determining disaster severity levels in Vietnam

- Natural disaster risks are classified based on intensity, scope of impact, areas directly affected, and potential damages caused by the natural disaster.

- The Disaster severity level is determined for each type of disaster and announced along with forecast and warning bulletins about the disaster.

- The risk level for each type of natural disaster is divided into a maximum of 5 levels and associated with a specific color on different maps, according to the increasing severity of the disaster risk: Level 1 (light blue) indicates low risk; Level 2 (light yellow) indicates medium risk; Level 3 (orange) indicates high risk; Level 4 (red) indicates very high risk; Level 5 (purple) indicates catastrophic risk (Appendix XII of Decision 18/2021/QD-TTg).

- The risk level of two or more simultaneous or consecutive natural disasters can be adjusted up by one level based on their impact; in cases where there is a potential for severe damage to people and property, the risk level can be considered to increase by two levels, with a maximum of Level 5.

	Appendix XII

2. Disaster severity levels for flash flood, landslides and subsidence due to precipitation, flood or runoff under the law in Vietnam

Article 46 of Decision 18/2021/QD-TTg on disaster severity levels for flash flood, landslides and subsidence due to precipitation, flood or runoff

* Disaster severity level 1 includes the following cases:

- Warning of total rainfall between 100 mm and 200 mm within 24 hours and rainfall that occurred 1 to 2 days before in low or medium-risk areas of provinces in Region 1; medium-risk areas of provinces in Region 2; high-risk areas of provinces in Region 3; high to very high-risk areas of provinces in Region 4;

- Warning of total rainfall between 200 mm and 400 mm within 24 hours and rainfall that occurred more than 2 days before in low-risk areas of provinces in Region 1 and Region 2; medium-risk areas of provinces in Region 3; high-risk areas of provinces in Region 4;

- Warning of total rainfall exceeding 400 mm within 24 hours and rainfall that occurred more than 2 days before in low-risk areas of provinces in Region 3; medium-risk areas of provinces in Region 4.

* Disaster severity level 2 includes the following cases:

- Warning of total rainfall between 100 mm and 200 mm within 24 hours and rainfall that occurred 1 to 2 days before in high-risk areas of provinces in Region 1 and Region 2; very high-risk areas of provinces in Region 3;

- Warning of total rainfall between 200 mm and 400 mm within 24 hours and rainfall that occurred more than 2 days before in medium-risk areas of provinces in Region 1 and Region 2; high-risk areas of provinces in Region 3; very high-risk areas of provinces in Region 4;

- Warning of total rainfall exceeding 400 mm within 24 hours and rainfall that occurred more than 2 days before in low or medium-risk areas of provinces in Region 1 and Region 2; medium or high-risk areas of provinces in Region 3; high or very high-risk areas of provinces in Region 4.

* Disaster severity level 3 includes the following cases:

- Warning of total rainfall between 100 mm and 200 mm within 24 hours and rainfall that occurred 1 to 2 days before in very high-risk areas of provinces in Region 1 and Region 2;

- Warning of total rainfall between 200 mm and 400 mm within 24 hours and rainfall that occurred more than 2 days before in high or very high-risk areas of provinces in Region 1 and Region 2; very high-risk areas of provinces in Region 3;

- Warning of total rainfall exceeding 400 mm within 24 hours and rainfall that occurred more than 2 days before in high or very high-risk areas of provinces in Region 1 and Region 2; very high-risk areas of provinces in Region 3.

* In cases where the warning area includes multiple regions with different disaster severity levels, the risk level shall be set at the highest level.

* The list of provinces belonging to Region 1, Region 2, Region 3, and Region 4 is stipulated in Table 5 of Appendix XII of Decision 18/2021/QD-TTg.

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