Rains in An Giang and other provinces in the Mekong Delta on April 13 have helped farmers reeling from drought and lack of water for irrigation. —VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Sang

In Can Tho City, the downpour lasted several hours, bringing cheer to people and farmers after a long, harsh dry season.

Phan Thanh Hai, director of the city Hydro –Meteorological station, said the rain was unseasonable since it is still the dry season.

The rains are expected to continue for another three or four days, he said.

The rainy season would start slightly late this year, in mid-May, he added.

In Vinh Long, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, and An Giang provinces the rain lasted between 30 minutes and several hours.

The Southern Hydro-Meteorological Station said satellite images show cloud cover in the Mekong Delta and southern regions and would continue to get heavy rains accompanied by strong winds over the next few days.

Since the beginning of April river tides in the delta provinces have been low, leading to a decrease in salinity from the sea.

Ky Quang Vinh, former chief of the Can Tho Climate Change Coordination Office, said it had also rained in the Mekong’s upstream areas in Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. VNS

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