Vice-Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win addresses National Natural Disaster Management Committee meeting 2/2021
Nay Pyi Taw December 22
Chairman of the National Natural Disaster Management Committee Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister ViceSenior General Soe Win delivered an address at the meeting 2/2021 of the National Natural Disaster Management Committee at the meeting hall of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement in Nay Pyi Taw this afternoon.
Also present at the meeting were vice-chairmen of the management committee, Union ministers and officials together with the chairman of the Nay Pyi Taw Council, chief ministers of regions and states, deputy ministers, senior military officers from the Office of the Com-mander-in-Chief (Army, Navy and Air) and officials through video conferencing.
In his address, the Vice-Senior General said the meeting is to focus on preparations for sub-sequent natural disasters of La Nina, prevention of high heat in summer and fire preventive measures, preparations for strong winds in the pre-monsoon, and tasks to be coordinated among ministries and region and state governments.
Currently, it can be seen impacts of natural disasters and global climate change are not strange and these are regular natural disasters across the world. Hence, it is necessary to seek the best way to minimize the loss and damage in natural disasters after observing the nature of disasters and destructiveness. All need to be always alert to the danger of natural disasters, ready to respond and emphasize long term preventive measures.
According to the geographical conditions and climatic conditions, it is necessary to take preventive measures against natural disasters depending on regions and seasons and the possibility of falling disasters at any time with the response to them.
In observing the latest period of breaking out the natural disasters in seasons, although the lesser number of natural disasters may happen in the cold season, the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology issued the press release on condition of La Nina found on 20 November and changes of the situation to the outbreak of moderate level of La Nina in December. Although La Nina starts in the Pacific Ocean, it may affect storms in the Bay of Bengal in the winter, with more coolness in night temperature in Myanmar due to northeast monsoon winds, effects of whirl from the east and timely raining.
Despite the lesser possibility of natural disasters in a normal situation, unexpected disasters may depend on the La Nina.
As such, it is necessary to assess the possibility of natural disasters based on the La Nina, issuance of forecasts and warnings.
Likewise, although the cold season faces lesser temperature, it is necessary to notice the danger of fire due to dryness. The time is related to between winter and summer, so efforts must be expedited to prevent the danger of fire. The danger of fire is a disaster to cause heavy loss of housings and property and it brings great loss to the people and the State. Hence, the formation of firefighter troops, stockpiling of fire extinguishers and vehicles must be coordinated among relevant departments and organizations for raising awareness of the danger of fire and fire preventive measures of the people.
It can be seen that strong winds hit at the end of summer and early monsoon with torrential rains and falls of hailstones. Annually, strong winds cause housing damage with terrible impacts on the people. Especially, such impacts fall on poor families. Hence, it is necessary to make preparations against the danger of strong winds.
To sum up, it is necessary to make preparations in respective states and regions and respective sectors for natural disasters occurring in the cold, hot and rainy seasons including cold waves, fires and storms. Moreover, it is important to be prepared for natural disasters unexpectedly caused by abnormal climate change by studying and without losing sight of them and for responses to earth-quakes, which cannot be forecast but can occur everywhere at any time. Responsible officials are required to carry out necessary activities with con-Lcientiousness and awareness. I would like to urge relevant ministries, the Nay Pyi Taw Council and state and regional governments to coordinate tasks to be carried out concertedly, individually and organizationally in cooperation without any delay.
Moreover, it is necessary to organize the entire public including social organizations and entrepreneurs to participate in disaster reduction tasks with the concept that these tasks are concerned with everyone.
As we have gained a lot of past experiences, efforts must be made to review weaknesses and to cooperate for the reduction of the impacts of natural disasters as much as possible.
In carrying out natural disaster management tasks, it is necessary to make necessary preparations preemptively by utilizing every possible means rather than responding to them only when they occur.
More emphasis must be placed on disaster reduction and it is important to cooperate with the international community, abide by frameworks and conventions and utilize technologies by studying them without losing sight of them.
In conclusion, I would like to urge ministries to combine their original tasks with disaster management tasks in respective sectors and the Nay Pyi Taw Council and state and regional governments to take measures to make respective areas safe from natural disasters and to build them into communities that can withstand natural disasters. It is necessary to discuss measures to be carried out, advice that should be implemented and requirements to be met.
Then, Vice Chairman of the committee Union Minister for Home Affairs Lt-Gen Soe Htut reported to the Vice-Senior General on tasks carried out by disaster management work committees and Vice-Chairperson of the committee Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Thet Thet Khaing reported to the Vice-Senior General on matters related to disaster management.
Next, Management Committee Secretary Deputy Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Re-settlement U Aung Tun Khaing reported on natural disaster outbreaks, holding of related meetings and work progress in implementing the resolutions of the meeting (1/2021).
Management Work Committee Secretary Permanent Secretary Dr Ko Ko Naing reported on the availability and spending of the national disaster management funds and balance accounts and sought approval of the management committee.
Then, committee members Union ministers, the Nay Pyi Taw Council and region/state chief ministers and senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army, Navy and Air) explained their respective sectors related to disaster management.
Union Ministers Lt-Gen Soe Htut, U Ko Ko Hlaing and DrThet Thet Khaing made supplementary discussions.
Deputy Minister U Aung Tun Khaing explained the resolutions of the meeting (2/2021) and sought approval.
The Vice-Senior General attended to the needs after hearing the reports. He then gave instructions on management for preparedness against La Niña, summer heat, fire danger and storms before monsoon and their consequences at the national level ranging from working group level to table talk exercise to working group level exercise and exercise for prevention of natural disasters and ensuring minimum loss and damage in respective regions with the participation of all public members under the supervision of Union ministers, chairmen of self-administered zones and chairmen of district/township and ward/village administrative bodies. Then, the meeting came to a close.