Land erosion in Ca Mau (Photo: VNA)Ca Mau (VNA) - Hundred metres of land along rivers and coastlines havebeen destroyed by unusually strong winds and waves, combined with rising tidesin the southernmost province of Ca Mau.
According tothe provincial Agriculture and Rural Development Department, waves and risingtides have caused severe land erosion at 25 sites in three districts of Nam Can,Ngoc Hien and Dam Doi.
Additionally,the increasing use of high capacity waterway vehicles on rivers has contributedto the problem.
Nguyen LongHoai, chief of office of the Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention andSearch and Rescue said earlier this week that at least 132 households wereliving in dangerous areas, with the appearance of cracks and at a high risk oferosion.
A lack offunds was blamed for the failure of local authorities to build resettlement housingareas for residents, away from danger hotspots in order to ensure the safety ofpeople and property, Hoai said.
Unusuallystrong winds and waves had damaged a number of areas in Nam Can District, saidNguyen Van Nhien, deputy chairman of the People’s Committee of Tam Giang DongCommune.
Thesituation had worsened over the week, and strong waves destroyed over akilometre of coastal land along Ho Gui Hamlet, according to Nhien.
Dozens ofmetres of protective forest and shrimp farms also suffered damage due toerosion.
There are nofirm statistics about the damage yet.
Erosion willcontinue to threaten the lives of local people if no solutions are forthcoming,and the situation is set to get worse.
The totalcoastal length of the key protective forests located in Tam Giang Commune isabout 13 kilometres.
Between 2007and 2014, over 260ha of coastal land suffered erosion, according to a report bythe local Protective Forest Management Board.
At themoment, there is only about 500ha left.
The crucialprotective forest area would be wiped out if measures were not taken soon, thedeputy chairman said.
Le Chi Hang,a resident in Ngoc Hien District’s Rach Goc Town, said: "Over the years, Ihave always lived in fear. The risk of erosion keeps me up at night.”
To preventdamage caused by landslides ahead of the rainy season this year, the provincewarned local residents living near and along rivers and dykes at high risk oferosion to heighten vigilance.
"Peopleneed to actively prevent land erosion, especially at night," Hoai said.
Localresidents should inform the nearest local authorities of cracks so thatmeasures can be taken to reinforce the land or move people out of danger, hesaid.
Thecommittee would continue to cooperate with local authorities on reviewingwaterway systems and installing traffic signals in order to restricthigh-capacity vehicles on rivers and canals, Hoai added.
Over thenext few days, the region is likely to suffer more erosion because of surgingtides and strong waves.-VNA
According tothe provincial Agriculture and Rural Development Department, waves and risingtides have caused severe land erosion at 25 sites in three districts of Nam Can,Ngoc Hien and Dam Doi.
Additionally,the increasing use of high capacity waterway vehicles on rivers has contributedto the problem.
Nguyen LongHoai, chief of office of the Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention andSearch and Rescue said earlier this week that at least 132 households wereliving in dangerous areas, with the appearance of cracks and at a high risk oferosion.
A lack offunds was blamed for the failure of local authorities to build resettlement housingareas for residents, away from danger hotspots in order to ensure the safety ofpeople and property, Hoai said.
Unusuallystrong winds and waves had damaged a number of areas in Nam Can District, saidNguyen Van Nhien, deputy chairman of the People’s Committee of Tam Giang DongCommune.
Thesituation had worsened over the week, and strong waves destroyed over akilometre of coastal land along Ho Gui Hamlet, according to Nhien.
Dozens ofmetres of protective forest and shrimp farms also suffered damage due toerosion.
There are nofirm statistics about the damage yet.
Erosion willcontinue to threaten the lives of local people if no solutions are forthcoming,and the situation is set to get worse.
The totalcoastal length of the key protective forests located in Tam Giang Commune isabout 13 kilometres.
Between 2007and 2014, over 260ha of coastal land suffered erosion, according to a report bythe local Protective Forest Management Board.
At themoment, there is only about 500ha left.
The crucialprotective forest area would be wiped out if measures were not taken soon, thedeputy chairman said.
Le Chi Hang,a resident in Ngoc Hien District’s Rach Goc Town, said: "Over the years, Ihave always lived in fear. The risk of erosion keeps me up at night.”
To preventdamage caused by landslides ahead of the rainy season this year, the provincewarned local residents living near and along rivers and dykes at high risk oferosion to heighten vigilance.
"Peopleneed to actively prevent land erosion, especially at night," Hoai said.
Localresidents should inform the nearest local authorities of cracks so thatmeasures can be taken to reinforce the land or move people out of danger, hesaid.
Thecommittee would continue to cooperate with local authorities on reviewingwaterway systems and installing traffic signals in order to restricthigh-capacity vehicles on rivers and canals, Hoai added.
Over thenext few days, the region is likely to suffer more erosion because of surgingtides and strong waves.-VNA
VNA
