Mekong Delta to face earlier, more severe salinity, droughts
Salinity and droughts will come earlier and be more severe than in the 2018-2019 dry season in the Mekong Delta, according to Hoang Phuc Lam, Vice Director of the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
Hanoi (VNA) – Salinity anddroughts will come earlier and be more severe than in the 2018-2019 dry seasonin the Mekong Delta, according to Hoang Phuc Lam, Vice Director ofthe National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
The rainy season in the Central Highlands and southernregions will last until October, with a high risk of low pressure and stormsthat go along with heavy rains, he said.
According to Lam,from August to October, mainstream flow in the Mekong River is likely to staylower than the average level of many years by 10-30 percent.
Due to a lack ofrainfall and low upstream flow in the Mekong River, the flood spike in 2019 inthe Mekong Delta region will be lower than the average level of many years,with the peak of flood season falling in the first half of October, he said.
Upstream flow ofthe Mekong River to Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region is forecast to face a shortageof 10-30 percent, leading to high risk of droughts and early salinity.
Regarding floodingin Phu Quoc island of Kien Giang province as well as the Central Highlands andsouthern regions recently, Lam explained the strong southwest winds combinedwith inter-tropical convergence zonein the East Sea led to prolonged rains and high rainfall in the regions.
He noted that in Buon MeThuot city of the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, total rainfall in the first10 days of August was 402mm, much higher than the average level in the sameperiod of many years at about 111mm.
In Phu Quoc, the rainfall inthe first 10 days of August was 1,167mm, seven times higher than the averagelevel in many years at only 163mm, and equivalent to one half of the average levelin the island for the whole year of about 2,800mm. This was a record level ofrainfall for the island since 1978, said Lam.-VNA
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), together with relevant ministries and agencies, is accelerating the building of a master plan for the Mekong Delta’s sustainable development in adaption to climate change to 2030 with a vision to 2050.
Located at the end of the Mekong River, the Mekong Delta is the most prosperous agricultural production region in Southeast Asia. However, it is also one of the areas most heavily affected by climate
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Illustrative image (Source: VNA) 
