Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, Feb. 5 (VNA) -- A total of 8,500 people were killed throughout Viet Nam by natural calamities, traffic and workplace accidents in 2000.

The natural calamities in the Mekong delta, southeastern region and central highlands killed 680 people, injured 212 and caused losses estimated at VND 4,730 billion.

The calamities swept away 8,300 houses, submerged one million more and damaged 483,000 ha of rice and subsidiary food crops and many irrigation systems and roads.

The Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Ministry reports that 33 natural-calamity hit provinces received VND 494.458 billion and 3,000 tonnes of rice as emergency aid and VND 821.3 billion from the central authorities for restoration of infrastructure.

The Government has approved a plan to spend VND 246 billion in strengthening dykes - with VND 160 billion going to regular dyke maintenance, to cope with possible calamities, particularly in the Red River Delta this year.

About 7,500 people were killed - a-year-on-year increase of 12.4 percent and 25,400 injured, a 6.2 percent increase, in 22,486 road accidents in 2000.

In the first week of 2001, 162 people died and 564 were injured in 475 traffic accidents, reported a seminar jointly sponsored by Nhan Dan daily and the National Committee for Traffic Safety.

"Traffic laws are not strictly observed," Transport and Communications Minister Le Ngoc Hoan told the seminar, adding: "This is the most important reason for the worsening traffic situation".

"In addition to education, it's necessary to severely punish any violators of traffic laws and ensure the laws are strictly observed."

"It's also essential to clearly define the responsibility of relevant agencies for ensuring traffic safety in accordance with the State's traffic safety control", he said.

"Other reasons include the increasing number of vehicles, especially motorbikes, the poor quality of both transport and its users as well as the deterioration of traffic infrastructure."

Raising road user awareness and observance of traffic laws was the most decisive factor in preventing traffic accidents and congestion.

The State Inspection Force reports that as many as 283 workplace accidents occurred throughout the country in 2000, leaving 320 dead and 105 injured.

Almost all were at mines, construction sites or where raising or pressing equipment or industrial explosives were being used.

The major cause of workplace accidents is unimproved working conditions and the failure of private employers to follow safety rules in non-state enterprises.

The situation is exacerbated by the labour inspection force being both under-staffed and poorly equipped while penalties set by the Labour Law have not been strictly or timely enforced.--VNA