ThanhHoa (VNA) – The central provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinhcontinued to suffer high temperatures, badly affecting local production anddaily life.

Thousandsof hectares of rice have been lost because of the prolonged hot weather, whilemany rice fields have been abandoned due to lack of water. Saline intrusion wasaffecting many areas.

ThanhHoa province had planted more than 112,000ha of rice out of total 116,000ha.

Accordingto the Thanh Hoa Irrigation Sub-department, water levels in 241 out of 610reservoirs have fallen, with some reservoirs drying up.

Atpresent, 7,500ha of rice lacked water. The local authorities had to installhundreds of pumps to save the crops.

Incoastal districts of Quang Xuong and Tinh Gia, the saline intrusion occurredalong the Y and Hoang Rivers. Pumping water from the rivers to rice fields wasrisky.

Inthe difficult situation, the farmers were asked not to continue planting riceon the remaining fields.

DangTien Dung, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture andRural Development, said: “The remaining water was just used for the currentrice fields. For areas at high-risk of water shortage, the local farmers shouldchange to other crops.”

Meanwhile,in Ha Tinh province, the hot weather and drought had caused many crops towither.

HuongKhe and Huong Son districts are the localities facing the worst drought.

Thelocal government and agriculture and rural development department had carriedout measures on drought control such as dredging canals and digging wells.

Similarto Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh provinces, Nghe An had faced seven bouts of hotweather since earlier this year.

InMay and June, temperatures hit 39.5 to 41.5 degrees Celsius. The heatwavescaused severe drought and water shortages, causing difficulties for residents.

Sofar, about 13,000ha of rice crop had lacked water because hundreds of dams,lakes and reservoirs was drying up./.