Drought, saline encroachment continue in Central, South
Drought and saltwater intrusion are predicted to continue damaging parts of the south central, Central Highlands and southern regions this month due to the El Nino impacts.
Hanoi (VNA)ꦿ – Drought and saltwater intrusion are predicted to continue damaging parts of the south central, Central Highlands and southern regions this month due to the El Nino impacts, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
In early March, one or two cold spells are likely to hit the north while hot weather remains in the southeastern region.
The total rainfalls in the north and north central regions are 10-30 percent less than the many-year average in the same period.
Across the Mekong Delta, more than 200,000 tonnes of rice have been damaged, resulting in a loss of over 1 trillion VND (44.64 million USD).
In the winter-spring crop 2015-2016, there were 339,200ha of rice in coastal Mekong Delta provinces prone to saltwater intrusion and drought, accounting for 21.9 percent of the region’s total rice area, and 104,000ha of which have already been severely impacted.
The centre said saltwater intrusion has already hit alarming levels in Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Ben Tre and Tra Vinh provinces.-VNA
The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang is working to cope with drought and saltwater intrusion, with a focus on developing and upgrading irrigation works to ensure 2016 crops grow efficiently.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) will provide financial support for localities in the Mekong Delta regions which have been affected by acute drought and salt intrusion.
While saltwater has intruded deep into the Mekong Delta, it is also affecting water sources for production and daily activities in nearby Ho Chi Minh City.
More than 11,000 hectares of winter-spring rice crops in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang have been seriously damaged by intruding saltwater, prompting a natural disaster emergency declaration.
The Government considers the prevention of drought and saltwater intrusion its urgent task, said deputy head of the Government Office Nguyen Khac Dinh at a regular Cabinet press conference on Feb 29.
The People’s Committee of the southernmost province of Ca Mau has declared a drought emergency in the locality with level-one risk after more than 49,000 ha of rice were damaged by water shortages.
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Drought in Ca Mau (Source: VNA)
