On the afternoon of January 27, the Office of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued a notice summarizing conclusions by Mr. Bui Minh Thanh, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee and Standing Deputy Head of the municipal Civil Defense Steering Committee, following a working session reviewing disaster prevention and search-and-rescue efforts in 2025 and setting priorities for 2026.
Regarding civil defense, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Bui Minh Thanh instructed agencies and localities to ensure the continuous, effective operation of civil defense steering committees at all levels, while reviewing and consolidating organizational structures in line with regulations.
The Ho Chi Minh City High Command serves as the standing body of the Steering Committee, tasked with leading the development of the city’s plan to implement the National Civil Defense Strategy for the 2026–2030 period. It will also draft the Civil Defense Plan for 2026 and a comprehensive system of response scenarios for incidents, natural disasters, emergencies and epidemics.
In addition, the unit is tasked with strengthening coordination and information sharing to ensure timely support when situations exceed local response capacity.
As for disaster prevention and search-and-rescue operations, departments and localities were urged to closely monitor, assess and forecast developments to promptly deploy preventive and response measures, aiming to minimize losses to life and property.
The municipal Department of Agriculture and Environment was assigned to closely monitor weather developments, consult city leaders on response measures, and lead inspections of irrigation and disaster prevention works ahead of the 2026 rainy season. Reservoir operations in the Dong Nai and Saigon river basins, particularly at Dau Tieng and Tri An, must strictly comply with operating procedures to ensure safety and reduce downstream risks.
At the grassroots level, commune- and ward-level authorities were instructed to urgently review and complete disaster prevention and search-and-rescue plans for the 2026 dry season, clearly identifying forces, equipment, supplies and evacuation sites under the “four-on-the-spot” principle, while strengthening local response forces and addressing risks of flooding and landslide in vulnerable areas.
