HANOI: Salt intrusion at several rivers and streams in the Mekong Delta provinces in Vietnam has affected the lives of over 100,000 families, VnExpress reported Friday (March 8).
Tien Giang province has driven salinity levels up to 2.2-5/1,000 while the salinity levels in rivers of Ben Tre City have reached 5/1,000 compared to the usual salinity level for edible water of 0.5/1,000.
The delta is starting the harvests of winter-spring rice, fruits and seafood but facing the peak period for saltwater intrusion into rivers, Vietnam News reported.
According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorology Forecasting, the intrusion in the 2023-2024 dry season is predicted to be higher than normal and will reach its peak in April. This will result in a lack of water for home consumption and irrigation in many areas.
The delta's coastal provinces, which are the nation's primary source of rice, fruits and seafood, constructed makeshift dams, fixed sluices, and dredged irrigation canals to store more water before the start of the dry season. - Xinhua
