Extreme drought, 120,000 households thirsty

336 reservoirs dry up

According to a report sent to the Prime Minister, in the 2018-2019 dry season, rainfall in the Central region was mostly lower than the average of many years. However, because reservoirs had accumulated a relatively high amount of water since the end of the 2018 rainy season, there was no drought or water shortage in the winter-spring crop.

Prolonged drought, Nghe An people pump water to save rice. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Since the beginning of the summer-autumn crop, record-breaking heat has occurred continuously and prolonged, causing drought and water shortages in many localities.

As a result, in the North Central region since the beginning of the summer-autumn crop, the average water storage capacity of reservoirs has reached about 59%. Currently, the average capacity of irrigation reservoirs is 30-60% of the design capacity, lower than in recent years. There are 55 small reservoirs that have run out of water.

Similarly, in the South Central region since the beginning of the summer-autumn crop, the storage capacity of reservoirs has reached an average of 63% of the design capacity. Currently, the average capacity of irrigation reservoirs is 25-55% of the design capacity, only about 6% higher than in 2016, with 281/520 small reservoirs running out of water.

The salinity intrusion in the Central region is also becoming increasingly serious. In particular, the salinity intrusion in the North Central region is affecting agricultural production and people's lives in the downstream of the Cam River (Nghe An), Gianh River (Quang Binh), Thach Han River, Ben Hai River (Quang Tri). The salinity boundary with the highest concentration of 1g/liter is 16 km on the Cam River, 30 km on the Gianh River, 25 km on the Ben Hai River, 30 km on the Hieu River, and 35 km on the main stream of the Thach Han River.

Many tea areas in Thanh Chuong district (Nghe An) are dry and burnt due to drought. Photo courtesy of Phu Huong

In the South Central region, saltwater intrusion is affecting agricultural production and people's lives in the downstream of Thu Bon River (Quang Nam province), with the salinity boundary at the highest concentration of 1 g/liter commonly extending 15-20km.

In the report, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also said that in the North Central region, drought and water shortage began to affect from the end of June, then temporarily ended due to rain from July 2-4.

The affected area at its peak was about 21,600 hectares (19,900 hectares of rice, 1,700 hectares of vegetables), accounting for 4.5% of the rice and annual crop area. After the rain, currently, the whole region has 5,240 hectares (3,400 hectares of rice, 1,840 hectares of vegetables) suffering from drought and water shortage.

However, the drought and salinity have caused 61,000 households to face water shortages. The most serious shortage of domestic water is in Quang Binh, with 30,000 households.

In the South Central region, drought, water shortage and saltwater intrusion also began to affect from July 2019 with a total affected area of ​​up to 16,340 hectares (rice 15,930 hectares, vegetables 410 hectares). The drought and saltwater intrusion also caused 52,840 households in this area to lack domestic water.

Nearly 140 thousand households may lack domestic water

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also assessed that in case the severe heat continues until the end of the dry season (end of July in the North Central region, end of August in the South Central region), a total of about 65,500 hectares (55,400 hectares of rice, 10,100 hectares of annual crops) will suffer from drought and water shortage.

In addition, there will be approximately 140,000 households at risk of water shortage. Specifically, the North Central region is forecast to have approximately 70,800 households at risk of continuing to lack water; the South Central region has 68,000 households.

If the heat continues, about 140,000 households will lack water for daily use. Photo: Dan Tri

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that in the immediate future, it will closely monitor the situation; preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam Electricity Group, hydropower plants and localities in the region to unify the schedule of regulating hydropower reservoirs to supplement water for downstream areas;

Organize working groups to inspect, direct and guide the work of preventing and combating drought, water shortages and saltwater intrusion, ensuring water supply for production and daily life for people in some localities in the Central region.

Many dams in Nghe An have run out of water. Photo: Xuan Hoang

In the long term, strengthen the capacity to monitor and forecast water resources and saltwater intrusion, invest in installing automatic monitoring equipment to promptly provide information, proactively deploy appropriate response measures for each stage, especially responding to the impacts of extreme weather; update and adjust master plans and irrigation plans to serve the transformation of agricultural production structure, adapt to climate change, drought, water shortage, and saltwater intrusion; adjust production structure, in the direction of shifting seasons, crop, livestock, and aquatic product structures to suit water resource conditions, ensuring economic efficiency and social security, etc.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also requested the Prime Minister to direct relevant ministries and localities to join hands to strengthen the prevention of drought, water shortage and saltwater intrusion in the coming time.