Ca Mau province is in need of more funding from the Government to finish renovation of the sea dyke on the western coast to prevent erosion and keep out tides (Photo: VNA)Ca Mau (VNS/VNA) – The southern province of Ca Mau has been upgradingthe sea dyke on its western coast to combat rising tides and landslides, whichare affecting local people's livelihoods.
Ca Mau has over 250 kilometres of coastline of which the western coast, withthree districts, accounts for around 108km.
There is a 94km sea dyke especially to protect the coast in the storm season.But in recent years the increasing occurrence of strong tides and waves hasbeen causing more and more landslides, leading to loss of land and sometimeseven protective forests.
In the last decade or so the province has lost nearly 9,000 hectares of landand forests. Around 57km of the western coast have suffered landslides, and thesea dyke is at high risk of damage.
To Quoc Nam, deputy director of the the Ca Mau Department of Agriculture andRural Development, told Nhan Dan (People) newspaper that for many years theprovince has been repairing and fortifying the sea dyke, but erosion is toofrequent, forcing the province to seek aid from the Government.
The dyke’s quick degradation was because the soil underneath was not stable andthe relentless sea, he said.
Since 2010 the province has been working on a 72km project to upgrade the seadyke at a cost of around 1.7 trillion VND (72.6 million USD). Work has beencompleted on over 49km.
The province's Irrigation Sub-department said to combat climate change andrising sea levels the sea dyke rises three metres.
Revetments have been built to prevent erosion. But people living in high-riskareas are being relocated.
So far the project has proven effective, protecting over 150,000 hectares ofdesalinated farmlands in the north. The eco-system of the U Minh Ha forest hasalso been safeguarded and shielded from saltwater intrusion.
Upgrade work has been delayed on the west coast and so locals are stillsusceptible to tides overflowing the dyke and affecting their crops.
Work on the 23 remaining kilometres of dykes has not begun due to the lack ofGovernment funding.
The province has urged the Government to continue supporting the project,saying it needs billions of dong for the sea dyke as well as for the easterncoast, which does not have a dyke yet.–VNS/VNA
Ca Mau has over 250 kilometres of coastline of which the western coast, withthree districts, accounts for around 108km.
There is a 94km sea dyke especially to protect the coast in the storm season.But in recent years the increasing occurrence of strong tides and waves hasbeen causing more and more landslides, leading to loss of land and sometimeseven protective forests.
In the last decade or so the province has lost nearly 9,000 hectares of landand forests. Around 57km of the western coast have suffered landslides, and thesea dyke is at high risk of damage.
To Quoc Nam, deputy director of the the Ca Mau Department of Agriculture andRural Development, told Nhan Dan (People) newspaper that for many years theprovince has been repairing and fortifying the sea dyke, but erosion is toofrequent, forcing the province to seek aid from the Government.
The dyke’s quick degradation was because the soil underneath was not stable andthe relentless sea, he said.
Since 2010 the province has been working on a 72km project to upgrade the seadyke at a cost of around 1.7 trillion VND (72.6 million USD). Work has beencompleted on over 49km.
The province's Irrigation Sub-department said to combat climate change andrising sea levels the sea dyke rises three metres.
Revetments have been built to prevent erosion. But people living in high-riskareas are being relocated.
So far the project has proven effective, protecting over 150,000 hectares ofdesalinated farmlands in the north. The eco-system of the U Minh Ha forest hasalso been safeguarded and shielded from saltwater intrusion.
Upgrade work has been delayed on the west coast and so locals are stillsusceptible to tides overflowing the dyke and affecting their crops.
Work on the 23 remaining kilometres of dykes has not begun due to the lack ofGovernment funding.
The province has urged the Government to continue supporting the project,saying it needs billions of dong for the sea dyke as well as for the easterncoast, which does not have a dyke yet.–VNS/VNA
VNA
