Nearly 34,000 people in the Central Highlands are facing severe famine, as the region faces a drought that has continued for months.

Dried-up coffee plant

Le Thanh Hai, Deputy Director of the National Hydrometeorology Forecasting Center, said that the hardest hit areas were in Quang Tri, Kon Tum and Dak Lak provinces. The North Central Highlands have not received significant rainfall since the beginning of the year, leading to the lowest water levels in several years.

According to the Kon Tum Province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, as of March 9, over 1,000 ha of rice fields remain dry, causing an estimated VND80 billion in damages (USD3.8 million).

Reservoirs and wells have also run dangerously low, posing a threat to around 300 households.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Gia Lai Province reported that the dry spell has affected nearly 1,500 ha of rice fields and other agricultural land. Water levels in rivers and springs have also been quickly decreasing.

Besides the economic effects, the drought has had adverse impacts on the lives of many residents of the area. The Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Gia Lai Province has estimated that 8,400 households will suffer from food shortages by the end of February.

Pham Vu Tuan, head of the Central Highlands Hydro-meteorology Station, said that if rainfall does not increase by the end of April, the effects of the drought will become more severe.