Viet Nam will lose nearly 39 per cent of the total area of Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta – the biggest rice granary of the country if the sea level rises 100cm by the end of the century. — Photo vacne.org.vn

Localities of Hau Giang, Kien Giang, and Ca Mau are expected to suffer the most with inundated areas up to 80 per cent, 77 per cent and 58 percent respectively.

It was released following the 2016 Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Scenarios for Viet Nam and by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on Tuesday at a high-level meeting held in Ha Noi.

The scenario said about 16.8 per cent of the total area of the Hong (Red) River delta and 1.47 per cent of the total area of central coastal provinces were predicted to be inundated if the sea level rises 100cm by the end of the century.

In the Red River delta, rising sea levels would cause an area loss of 58 per cent in Nam Dinh Province and 51 per cent in Thai Binh Province.

Additionally, three islands of Van Don, Con Dao and Phu Quoc as well as Tri Ton Island and Luoi Liem Island of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago were also facing severe flood risk, the scenario said.

Tran Thuc, deputy head of the consultancy board for Viet Nam’s National Committee on Climate Change, said data used to compile the 2016 scenario was updated until 2014.

Compared to previous scenarios, the 2016 scenario provided details of rising sea levels for 28 coastal provinces and Hoàng Sa (Paracel) Archipelago and Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago, he said.

The scenario also pointed out that geology changes and subsidence due to overexploitation of underground water were the two major reasons worsening flood risk for localities across the country, he said.

After the forecast was announced, the environment ministry ordered localities to improve their irrigation planning to adapt to rising sea levels and climate change.

VNS