Erosion of 50 metres of land along a riverside road in Dong Thap Province’s Chau Thanh District last month. — VNA/VNS Photo Chuong Dai

Erosion along the Tien and Hau rivers, two tributaries of the Mekong River, has caused 3.06ha of land areas to fall into rivers and VND6.8 billion ($293,400) in damages.

Huynh Minh Duong, head of the sub-department, said that river erosion in the province had been occurring even in the dry season.

From 2015 to 2019, more than 329ha of land eroded and fell into rivers, causing one death and VND405.7 billion ($17.5 million) in property damage.

Erosion along the Tien and Hau rivers has occurred over a total length of 29.3km in 16 communes, wards and towns.

Erosion along the Tien River is forecasted to occur in 35 communes, wards and towns in the coming time, Duong said.   

In Dong Thap, 6,400 households living in erosion-prone areas need to be relocated to safe areas. The province is building more residential areas and residential clusters to relocate households in erosion-prone areas.

Its People’s Committee has petitioned the central Government to support the province to build 23 new residential clusters, including six priority clusters for 1,900 households now living in erosion-prone areas.

The province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is also monitoring erosion hotspots and implementing erosion prevention projects along the Tien River in Hong Ngu, Thanh Binh and Chau Thanh districts, and Cao Lanh City.

Provincial departments are banning construction of houses and other building facilities along erosion-prone areas and are offering support to households in these at-risk areas so they can relocate.  VNS

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