Hanoi (VNA) – Little rainfall is forecast across the country in March and April, the remaining monthsof the dry season, particularly in the central region, saidVu Duc Long, Deputy Director of the National Centre for HydrometeorologicalForecasting.
Water levels in rivers in the central and Central Highlands regions are forecastto stand 35 – 70 percent below the average recorded in previous years, and even 80 percent down in some areas, he said.
CentralVietnam will likely suffer drought in the next two months, and saline intrusion in regional estuarieswill occur earlier and on a larger scale, he added.
It is verylikely that Thanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, the Central Highlands and the southeastern region will be in the grip of drought from March toMay, while the central coast is facing drought and saltwaterintrusion from June to August, which will be more severe than the last dry season.
Volumetricflow rates of rivers in the central and Central Highlands regions are predicted to be 40 – 80 percent lower than in previous years, and possibly down 80 percent in the Ca River (Nghe An).
Dams in the central region will be functioning at 10 – 47 percent below capacity, while medium and large hydropower reservoirs inthe central and CentralHighlands regions will fall 10 – 66 percent below capacity./.