INFORMATION IN NATURAL DISASTER FORECASTS AND WARNINGS MUST BE IN VIETNAMESE
In accordance with the Law No. 33/2013/QH13 on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control approved by the National Assembly on June 19, 2013, information, communication and education about natural disaster prevention and control aim to provide knowledge about types of natural disasters, impacts of natural disasters, measures to prevent and control natural disasters, responsibilities of organizations and individuals in natural disaster prevention and control activities, and relevant laws.
Principal contents of a bulletin on natural disaster forecasts and warnings include a bulletin on meteorological, hydrographical and oceanographic forecasts and warnings about natural disasters must have information on the type of natural disaster, intensity and level of natural disaster risk, current location and coordinates, and forecast of natural disaster developments; and an bulletin on earthquakes and tsunami forecasts and warnings must have information on the location, intensity and level of risk of, and the extent of impacts caused by earthquakes; forecasts of the starting location, possibility, height, level of risk and direction of, and areas affected by, tsunamis.
Besides, the contents of a document to direct and command response to natural disasters must conform to the contents of the bulletin on natural disaster forecasts and warnings and actual developments of natural disasters in localities; natural disaster response and search and rescue measures; and the means for transmitting and broadcasting documents to direct and command response to natural disasters include fax, short message service (SMS), television, radio, early warning system, direct transmission, and other forms.
Also in accordance with this Law, owners of ships and boats operating on the sea and rivers shall fully equip appropriate lifebuoys and communication and signaling devices; promptly provide accurate information on the positions and state of their operating means to local administrations and functional agencies when natural disasters occur; when encountering other ships and boats in distress, they shall promptly render salvation, search and rescue, or notify such by all means to the search and rescue agency in case the incident is beyond their capacity;
This Law takes effect on May 1, 2014.
