The HCM City People’s Committee has recommended the expansion of the use of mobile phone messages for warning natural disasters nationwide.
People in Can Gio District at a evacuation zone during a recent storm
The committee proposed that the Ministry of Information and Communications provide a system that already exists to warn people of coming disasters be expanded to reach people across the country. HCM City piloted the programme, which the municipal People's Committee believes should be implemented nation-wide.
After the damages caused by large storms early this year, the committee has decided that early warning via phone would be a good way to minimise damages, both to citizens and their posessions.
According to the committee’s proposed regulation, “The public would be warned within 48 hours of a storm, and agencies would be responsible for continual updates through text messaging."
Telecom companies and other related enterprises would also be encouraged to set up systems to facilitate a country-wide early warning network.
