How does Vietnam warn people of disasters?

Short answer. Vietnamese disaster bulletins carry a risk level from 1 (low, light blue) to 5 (disaster, purple), under Decision 18/2021/QĐ-TTg ¹. VOV radio, VTV and provincial stations must relay them, and mobile operators send warning text messages on government request ¹: 4 rounds reaching 47 million subscribers in 2025 and the first 10 months of 2026, the science ministry reported ². Phaenyx found no national siren code.

Who issues warnings?

Decision 18/2021/QĐ-TTg gives the job to the national hydro-meteorological service for storms, heavy rain, floods, heat, drought, salinity, strong winds and similar hazards; to the forestry service for forest fires; and to the Institute of Geophysics for earthquakes and tsunami warnings. Their bulletins are the official ones ¹. Warnings are on the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting website, under "Tin cảnh báo thiên tai" ³.

What do the risk levels mean?

Each type of hazard has up to 5 levels, published with the forecast or warning ¹. In the decision's words: "cấp 1 màu xanh dương nhạt là rủi ro thấp; cấp 2 màu vàng nhạt là rủi ro trung bình; cấp 3 màu da cam là rủi ro lớn; cấp 4 màu đỏ là rủi ro rất lớn; cấp 5 màu tím là rủi ro ở mức thảm họa" ¹.

Will I get an alert on my phone?

The decision tells the ministry in charge of telecoms to direct mobile operators to send messages at the request of the Prime Minister and the national disaster bodies ¹. In practice, in 2025 and the first 10 months of 2026, operators ran 4 rounds of warning messages reaching 47 million subscribers (counted per delivery), and a "Call Broadcast" warning solution is being tested, the Ministry of Science and Technology reported on 5 November 2026 ². Phaenyx found no cell broadcast system in service and no official national alert app.

How do radio and television broadcast warnings?

For storm and flood bulletins, Voice of Vietnam (VOV) broadcasts every 2 hours, day and night. For emergency storm or flood bulletins, it broadcasts at once twice in a row, then every hour ¹. Vietnam Television runs a text banner summarising the bulletin ¹. See /guides/emergency-radio.

Are there sirens or other signals?

Phaenyx found no national siren network or siren code. The People's Air Defence Law lists air-defence observation and alarm posts among dedicated air-defence works, without describing a public signal ⁴. On the coast and islands, Border Guard posts and Navy units fire storm flares when a storm-in-the-East-Sea or emergency bulletin is in force: "mỗi đêm bắn pháo hiệu 2 lần, mỗi lần 6 phát màu đỏ, chia làm 2 loạt, mỗi loạt bắn liền 3 phát, loạt bắn trước cách loạt bắn sau 3 phút" (each night, 2 firings of 6 red flares in 2 volleys of 3, 3 minutes apart), between 19:30 and 20:00 and between 04:30 and 05:00 ¹.

Are there public tests or drills?

Phaenyx found no national siren or phone-alert test on a fixed date. Civil defence drills are run by localities and ministries ⁵; for example, Huế held a radiation emergency drill on 25 September 2026 ⁶.

Frequently asked questions

What is level 5 disaster risk in Vietnam?

The highest level, shown in purple: risk at disaster level ¹.

Does Vietnam have an emergency alert system on phones?

Warning text messages are sent by mobile operators on government request ¹²; no cell broadcast system was found in service.

Where can I read official warnings?

On nchmf.gov.vn, section "Tin cảnh báo thiên tai" ³. To report a disaster, call 112 (emergency contacts).

Preparedness index: Vietnam ranks joint 52nd of 67, 45.5/100 · full ranking