Illustrative image (Source: VNA)HCM City (VNA) - Mekong Deltaprovinces have taken measures to counteract drought and salinisation as weatherforecasts say that the region could face shortages of water due to a seriousdrought early in 2017.
According to forecasts from the CentralHydrometeorology Station, rainfall in the southern region from March to Julythis year could be lower than the average rainfall of the last several years.During the dry season of 2016–17, the Mekong River is expected to be 15 to 30 percentlower than the average flow of several years, equivalent to the dry season of2014–15, and a bit higher than 2015–16.
Meanwhile, salinisation could intrude into theregion earlier, lasting longer than intrusion in previous years, but not asserious as during the drought of the dry season of 2015–16.
Mekong provinces began taking measures to counteract drought andsalinisation before the traditional Tet (at the end of 2016). The agriculture departmentin Hau Giang province has recommended that farmers in drought-affected areassow seeds of the winter-spring rice crop early, and thus be ready to cope withbad weather conditions caused by climate change.
The Hau Giang province People’s Committee hasalso announced a plan to combat drought and salinisation intrusion in theprovince from late 2016 through 2017.
According to forecasts from the provincialauthorities, from 28,000ha to 34,000ha of land under the winter-spring andsummer-autumn crops in the districts of Chau Thanh, Chau Thanh A, and Phung Hiep,and Nga Bay town, and parts of Vi Thuy district and Long My town will beaffected by the drought.
In addition, from 12,000ha to 16,000ha of paddyfields are affected by salinisation intrusion. In some areas, local residentscould suffer shortages of water for daily activities.
The Hau Giang People’s Committee has askeddistrict authorities to use all facilities and utensils to store fresh waterand thus to ensure enough water for daily activities during the dry season of2016–17.
The provincial authorities have also checked andmapped out plans to repair facilities to supply fresh water to residents indrought-affected areas, and inspect embankment, dyke and pumping systems. Theyalso mapped out plans to store water in the fields and prevent salt water fromintruding into fields to better protect rice crops.
Tran Cong Chanh, Secretary of the Hau Giang provinceParty Committee, said Hau Giang is one of the provinces that has encounteredthe most serious consequences of the drought and the salinisation intrusionlast year.
He said all measures taken by Hau Giangresidents were aimed at ensuring rice production and minimising damage thatcould be caused by the drought and salinisation.
According to figures from Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberạted Sai Gon) newspaper, the Mekong Deltasuffered great losses caused by drought and salinisation in 2016. The region’sfarming sector faced damages of 4.67 trillion VND (nearly 210 million USD),including damage to 233ha of paddy fields, vegetables and other crops 6,561ha,and fruit and industrial trees 10,831ha. Nearly 227,000 households in the regionfaced water shortages.-VNA
According to forecasts from the CentralHydrometeorology Station, rainfall in the southern region from March to Julythis year could be lower than the average rainfall of the last several years.During the dry season of 2016–17, the Mekong River is expected to be 15 to 30 percentlower than the average flow of several years, equivalent to the dry season of2014–15, and a bit higher than 2015–16.
Meanwhile, salinisation could intrude into theregion earlier, lasting longer than intrusion in previous years, but not asserious as during the drought of the dry season of 2015–16.
Mekong provinces began taking measures to counteract drought andsalinisation before the traditional Tet (at the end of 2016). The agriculture departmentin Hau Giang province has recommended that farmers in drought-affected areassow seeds of the winter-spring rice crop early, and thus be ready to cope withbad weather conditions caused by climate change.
The Hau Giang province People’s Committee hasalso announced a plan to combat drought and salinisation intrusion in theprovince from late 2016 through 2017.
According to forecasts from the provincialauthorities, from 28,000ha to 34,000ha of land under the winter-spring andsummer-autumn crops in the districts of Chau Thanh, Chau Thanh A, and Phung Hiep,and Nga Bay town, and parts of Vi Thuy district and Long My town will beaffected by the drought.
In addition, from 12,000ha to 16,000ha of paddyfields are affected by salinisation intrusion. In some areas, local residentscould suffer shortages of water for daily activities.
The Hau Giang People’s Committee has askeddistrict authorities to use all facilities and utensils to store fresh waterand thus to ensure enough water for daily activities during the dry season of2016–17.
The provincial authorities have also checked andmapped out plans to repair facilities to supply fresh water to residents indrought-affected areas, and inspect embankment, dyke and pumping systems. Theyalso mapped out plans to store water in the fields and prevent salt water fromintruding into fields to better protect rice crops.
Tran Cong Chanh, Secretary of the Hau Giang provinceParty Committee, said Hau Giang is one of the provinces that has encounteredthe most serious consequences of the drought and the salinisation intrusionlast year.
He said all measures taken by Hau Giangresidents were aimed at ensuring rice production and minimising damage thatcould be caused by the drought and salinisation.
According to figures from Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberạted Sai Gon) newspaper, the Mekong Deltasuffered great losses caused by drought and salinisation in 2016. The region’sfarming sector faced damages of 4.67 trillion VND (nearly 210 million USD),including damage to 233ha of paddy fields, vegetables and other crops 6,561ha,and fruit and industrial trees 10,831ha. Nearly 227,000 households in the regionfaced water shortages.-VNA
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