After two consecutive years suffering from severe drought and saltwater intrusion, the Mekong Delta region is also vulnerable to other disasters, including soil erosion and landslides.

With three sides touching the sea, Ca Mau province has lost a huge area of coastal land. Mangrove forests no longer serve as shields because of erosion.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has pointed out some factors contributing to increasingly severe disaster risks in the region.

Statistics show that there are 21 forms of natural disasters, and up to 20 forms hit Vietnam in 2016 alone. They cost the nation millions of tonnes of food, and cut access to clean water for two million people. Economic losses climbed to 1.7 billion USD, three times higher than the figure five years previously.

Experts maintain that natural disaster response is not the only business of relevant sectors. Authorities of all localities and their people are asked to raise awareness about risk prevention and to be ready to tackle all possible disasters.

Natural disasters not only strike the Mekong Delta region. A number of Red River Delta localities are suffering from saltwater intrusion and tides caused by erosion whereas repeated floods threaten central provinces. 

VNA