Central Vietnam struggles with prolonged drought
Central Vietnam faces water shortages amid drought
Nghe An seeks over $3 million to deal with prolonged drought

A maize field in Binh Thanh Commune, Binh Son District in the central province of Quang Ngai withered due to drought. — Photo daidoanket.vn

The farmers tried different measures to save the rice but all proved ineffective.

Dinh Thi Mai, from Thanh Tay Commune, Cam Pho Ward in Hoi An City, said prolonged hot weather caused salty water to enter her field and the rice died.

She transplanted the rice seedlings again and again but her 1,000-square-metre rice field was unsalvageable.

The same problem happened in the central province of Quang Ngai.

Dozens of hectares of rice and maize in Binh Son and Duc Pho districts withered.

Le Tan Hoang, who lives in Binh Thanh Commune, Binh Son District, said his 2,000sq.m of maize died due to drought. He must use the maize as food for cows.

Since March this year, the area had not had rain, thus farm products could not develop, he said.

Nguyen Tan Lai, head of the Duc Pho District Agriculture and Rural Development Division, said the district had 11 reservoirs, but five of them had run out of water.

As many as 43ha of rice needed immediate drought prevention measures.

A recent report of the Quang Nam Irrigation Co. Ltd., showed that since the end of last month, the amount of water in the Thu Bon River had decreased sharply. Moreover, flood tide from the Cua Dai Sea in Hoi An City entered the fields.

Nguyen Dinh Hai, the company’s director, said the salt had increased over recent days.

If it did not rain soon, the problem would become more serious, he said.

VNS