VietNamNet Bridge – Dang Duy Hien, deputy director of the Water Works Management Department, spoke with Viet Nam News about this year's drought and ongoing saltwater intrusion.


What are your thoughts about this year's drought and do you have a forecast for next year's rainy season?
A lot of local lakes in Son La, Hoa Binh, Tuyen Quang and Thac Ba are 20 to 30 per cent lower this March.

Local rivers in southern provinces have been penetrated by salt water intrusion. Salt water intrusion continues to move deeper and deeper inland.

Saltwater is forecast to penetrate key rivers and will reach 30 kilometres deeper than in previous years.

The drought has been ongoing since early March and is forecast to continue until the end of April, so far it has affected 42,000ha nationwide.


What is causing the drought?


Rainfall is less than the average in previous years.

Rainfall is down by 40-50 per cent on average in the Central Highlands and has decreased by 40 per cent in the northern mountainous region and 60 per cent in the south.

While climate change has affected the weather this year, urban development has also been blamed for the salt water intrusion.


Has the drought and salt water intrusion been affecting the entire country? What solutions has the ministry come up with to help localities deal with the situation at hand?


Firstly, localities need to show local farmers how to plant rice and how to store freshwater to prevent the negative impacts of drought from occurring and prevent saltwater intrusion.

In addition, it is necessary to take the initiative to prevent saltwater intrusion and store freshwater. The Government has assigned the agricultural ministry to draft plans to help improve irrigation systems.

The ministry has also ordered agriculture departments to create plans to save water, store water and plant trees that only need a little of the liquid to survive.

The departments will also work with the Industry and Trade Ministry and Electricity of Viet Nam to manage hydro-electric reservoirs and release water so that communities will have water for their irrigation networks.

The ministry has sent a plan to the Prime Minister, which asks for VND45 billion (US$2.1 million) in aid to be directed to the drought-affected provinces of Gia Lai, Dak Lak and Kon Tum.

The Government will transfer VND65.3 billion ($3.1 million) from national reserve funds to Long An, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, An Giang and Bac Lieu provinces, which have been heavily affected by the drought.


VietNamNet/Viet Nam News