Smoke goes up from the eight-story Hanh Long Hotel in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by VnExpress. The fire broke out just a day after a deadly blaze at Carina Plaza killed 13 in District 8. Dozens of people, most of them tourists, screamed for help as a fire erupted at an eight-story hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday afternoon. The fire broke out on the third floor of the Hanh Long Hotel in District 5 on Tran Hung Dao Street at around 3p.m., witnesses said. The hotel guests on the upper floors were trapped in the building, screaming for help from the windows as thick smoke billowed upwards. The fire reportedly broke out on the third floor. Photo by VnExpress. Authorities said 19 hotel guests, including 11 foreigners, were plucked to safety by two fire truck lifts. No injuries were reported. “The fire started from in the hotel’s accounting office,” said Captain Tran Quang Son, Deputy Chief of the District 8 Firefighter Department. “All … [Read more...] about Hotel fire traps 19 people in Ho Chi Minh City
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Students prepare for natural disasters in Ho Chi Minh city
In 2017, Viet Nam was hit by 16 typhoons. More than four million people were affected by floods, mudslides and landslides caused by heavy winds and downpours. Thousands of houses were damaged, communities evacuated, and tens of thousands of hectares of crops were destroyed.The coastal city of HCMC in particular has been affected by increasing incidents of weather related emergencies. The city and its 13 million residents are struggling with storm surges andPhoto: UNDPTo improve disaster preparedness and resilience, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Viet Nam Disaster Management Authority, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development support schools to evaluate their disaster risk, design emergency procedures and conduct emergency evacuation drills. The activities are organized under the “Schools of Son Tinh” campaign, supported by the Government of Japan.“Children, who hold the future of the country, are vulnerable to natural disasters. … [Read more...] about Students prepare for natural disasters in Ho Chi Minh city
Late PM leaves imprint on Ho Chi Minh City
Former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai passed away on March 17 but he lives in the heart of the people, especially those in Ho Chi Minh City, as a child of Cu Chi who made great contributions to the development of the city and the country. The late Prime Minister left a deep imprint on the process of building and developing Ho Chi Minh City - a dynamic, warm city that pioneers in innovation. Tan Thong Hoi is the first new-style rural commune in Vietnam. It is not hard to imagine the dramatic change in the commune when considering it as part of Cu Chi iron land, which was bombed during wars in the previous century. The new face of Cu Chi and other suburban areas in Ho Chi Minh City has been attributed to the efforts and determination of the Party, the government and people of Ho Chi Minh City. Since the start of the doi moi (renewal) process, Ho Chi Minh City has been the role model in innovation. Former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai left a marked imprint on … [Read more...] about Late PM leaves imprint on Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City hopes to bring ‘smart city’ benefits to residents
A project that turns the southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City into a ‘smart city’ has begun, aiming to bring multiple benefits to local residents. The model has been piloted over the past two years at Quang Trung Software City in District 12, where workers have been assisted in their daily tasks by various technological applications. In 2016, Quang Trung Software City digitalised its technical infrastructure via asset management system GIS and tools to manage data and update infrastructure information regarding electricity and water supply, wastewater, greenery and land. “The light will turn on while an alert message will be sent to our phone immediately,” Tuan clarified. A farming lab has also opened, using technological advances to control the quality of cultivation process. Lam Nguyen Hai Long, Director of the Quang Trung Software City said: “We still go in line with the HCM City’s smart city project. The Quang Trung Software City has … [Read more...] about Ho Chi Minh City hopes to bring ‘smart city’ benefits to residents
New prospects for Ho Chi Minh City in 2018
Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: vov.vn) HCMC witnessed positive signals in the first 2 months of this year. In January, its exports reached 3.4 billion USD, up nearly 32% from last year, contributing more than 1.6 billion USD to the State budget, up 10%. The industrial development index rose more than 15% and the garment sector signed a number of export deals, 70% of them with US partners. In the first month of 2018, the city established more than 2,800 new firms with a total registered capital of more than 860 million USD, up 23%. Tran Tuan Long, President of Thiết Thạch Construction Investment JS Company, said: “I hope that Vietnam and HCM City will achieve even more outstanding economic achievements than last year, a stellar year for the Vietnamese economy. I hope the business community will thrive and help Vietnam's economy thrive this year.” Returning to HCMC during the first days of this year, Le Ngoc Lam, a Vietnamese living in Japan, was surprised by how … [Read more...] about New prospects for Ho Chi Minh City in 2018