Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat reported that since 2014, El Nino has led to higher temperatures, lack of rains, prolonged droughts, and severe saline intrusion in the region. Droughts and saline intrusion have caused serious impacts onproduction and people life.

The South Central Coast, the Central Highlands Region, and the Mekong Delta are the hardest hit by saltwater intrusion. El Nino was forecast to last until mid-2016 and became the longest of this kind in Viet Nam.

According to a report of the MARD, saline intrusion may prolong until early June, 2016. Since March, fresh water will not be available or little in areas 30 to 45 km from sea. In addition, there is no chance to find fresh water in river mouth.

Salinity concentration of 4g/l will intrude 45-65 km further inland and cause many difficulties for production and people life.  

Areas 70-75 km from sea would face with floods and less than 4g/l salinity concentration.

A series of irrigation works such as Quan Lo-Phung Hiep, Long Xuyen Quadrangular Region, O Mon-Xa No, and Go Cong were built, serving to control saltwater intrusion.

However, nine out of 13 provinces and cities are seriously suffered from saline intrusion with over 70% of paddy cultivation land damaged and Ca Mau and Kien Giang losing 85,000 hectares of paddy./.  

By Kim Loan