ULAANBAATAR: On January 14, the government approved the newly developed “National Plan for Prevention and Rescue of Population, Animals and Properties from Disaster, Disaster Response and Early Warning”.
Officials say the plan strengthens management and coordination of disaster-risk reduction and response across all levels of government.
It improves the preparedness and readiness of national and local disaster-management bodies, including ministries, agencies, provinces and the capital city, as well as soums (administrative division), districts and relevant legal entities, and establishes conditions for faster, more effective response and recovery operations.
Under the approved framework, sectoral contingency plans for specific disaster types will be revised, and state and local disaster-management plans at province, capital-city, soum and district levels will be updated and reapproved to align with the national plan.
The government cited rising risks from climate change and human activity, including more frequent and severe epidemics, dzuds (extreme cold, heavy snow, and ice) and floods in recent years, as a major reason for the revision.
Authorities said the updated plan is intended to reduce the social and economic harm caused by natural, climatic and biological hazards and to protect human health, life and livelihoods. - Go Go Mongolia/ANN
