Mekong Delta region faces severe saltwater intrusion
Ben Tre People's Committee have announced that they are in an emergency situation while other provinces also reported damage due to saline intrusion.
In Ben Tre Province, the water that is 53-68km away from the estuaries will have a salinity of 4% while the whole province will have a salinity of 1%. The provincial authorities have implemented various measures to control the situation such as storing fresh water.
Over 16,500 ha of rice and shrimp farms in Ca Mau have been ruined and over 24,000 ha of rice were damaged. Over 20,000 households are suffering from water shortages and subsidence was reported in 11 locations. Thoi Binh was the first district to report damages from drought and saline intrusion with over 10,700 ha of rice and 18,600 ha of shrimp farms damaged.
The crops in Soc Trang Provine is also at risk due to water shortage.
Ben Tre Province has announced an emergency situation. Other provinces said they had plans for deep saline intrusions.
Huynh Ngoc Van, deputy head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said, "We have been active in dealing with the situation and spent over VND120bn on irrigation solutions to ensure water for crops and daily activities. However, those are only temporary solutions. In the long term, we'll limit planting crops in vulnerable areas."
Le Van Su, vice chairman of Ca Mau People's Committee, said, "We can only try to protect the remaining crops. When there are drought and saline intrusion, Ca Mau also suffers from erosion and subsidence so we have asked local authorities to tighten monitoring, especially during Tet."
Several districts in Bac Lieu Province such as Hong Dan and Phuong Long are being warned that they may have a water shortage. The local authorities are also closely monitoring the situation.
Irrigation system needs to be upgraded
In Ben Tre Province, the water that is 53-68km away from the estuaries will have a salinity of 4% while the whole province will have a salinity of 1%. The provincial authorities have implemented various measures to control the situation such as storing fresh water.
Over 16,500 ha of rice and shrimp farms in Ca Mau have been ruined and over 24,000 ha of rice were damaged. Over 20,000 households are suffering from water shortages and subsidence was reported in 11 locations. Thoi Binh was the first district to report damages from drought and saline intrusion with over 10,700 ha of rice and 18,600 ha of shrimp farms damaged.
The crops in Soc Trang Provine is also at risk due to water shortage.
Ben Tre Province has announced an emergency situation. Other provinces said they had plans for deep saline intrusions.
Huynh Ngoc Van, deputy head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said, "We have been active in dealing with the situation and spent over VND120bn on irrigation solutions to ensure water for crops and daily activities. However, those are only temporary solutions. In the long term, we'll limit planting crops in vulnerable areas."
Le Van Su, vice chairman of Ca Mau People's Committee, said, "We can only try to protect the remaining crops. When there are drought and saline intrusion, Ca Mau also suffers from erosion and subsidence so we have asked local authorities to tighten monitoring, especially during Tet."
Several districts in Bac Lieu Province such as Hong Dan and Phuong Long are being warned that they may have a water shortage. The local authorities are also closely monitoring the situation.
Leave your comment on this story