Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win who is also Chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee-NDMC addressed the National Disaster Management Committee’s emergency meeting yesterday.
The Vice-Senior General said according to the forecast of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts(ECMWF), Global Forecast System (GFS) and the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology of Myanmar, the occurrence of a storm from the low-pressure area in the Bay of Bangel on 8 May might change to a stronger cyclone and enter Yangon and Ayeyawady Region (or) coastal region of Myanmar. The public employees who are responsible to serve full-time duties for the country conduct this emergency meeting of the committee on holiday to overcome the disaster with the least losses.
It is estimated two ways that the storm enters the coastal regions of Myanmar. The first one is between Pyapon Township and Kungyangon townships of the Yangon Region and the second one is between Sittway and Kyaukpyu townships passing through Rakhine coastal region. These are just weather forecasts and the exact way can be known when the storm occurs from the depression. It is expected to occur on 13 and 14 May in Myanmar.
The standing order on natural disaster management (2022) was enacted. It was also released in Tatmadaw as well as by the committee. Similarly, the standing order and procedures for disaster management have been drafted in respective regions and states.
If the storm changes its ways, the preparations will benefit us as practices. Therefore, preparation is a must. There are two sections in disaster management. It is conducting responses across the nation at a national level and response at Nay Pyi Taw Territory Union, Region and State levels. There are plans and directives for national-level responses. The proper preparations should be made now as the country has experienced storms. Of the storms, the 2008 Nargis cyclone left the largest losses.
Therefore, the facts for emergency management are compiled and relief items are also provided. In making preparations, the 12 working committees mentioned in Chapter 4 should do the preparations, emergency responses and rehabilitation processes and the region/state working committees formed as per Chapter 5 should do the preparations, emergency responses and rehabilitation processes. Similarly, the preparations, emergency responses and rehabilitation processes for Tatmadaw mentioned in Chapter 6 should be done by members of Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) in detail.
He then talked about the duties of the natural disaster management committee, and region and state management teams to be served as per the standing order.
Then, Committee Vice-Chairs Union Ministers Lt-Gen Soe Htut and Dr Thet Thet Khine reported on the cooperation works for response and rescue works while Working Committees’ Chairpersons Union Ministers, Chief of General Staff (Army, Navy and Air), Commander-in-Chief (Navy) and Commander-in-Chief (Air) presented preparations for disasters including cyclones.
Moreover, the Transport and Communications Working Committee Chairperson Deputy Minister for Transport and Communications discussed the cyclone that can be occurred in the Bay of Bengal and the possibility to enter Myanmar, information released via state-run media and operators.
Then, Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman and other attendees discussed the emergency responses, shelters and rescue works.
Committee Secretary Deputy Minister U Soe Kyi then tabled the decisions and sought approval from the committee.
The emergency meeting of the National Disaster Management Committee decided to open the office of the Disaster Management Committee at Office No 23 of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement to solve the cyclone-related matters in a timely manner starting 8 May.
Afterwards, the Vice-Senior General concluded the meeting. — MNA/KTZH
