Reservoirs in Binh Dinh dry up

Binh Dinh (VNA) – As many as 71 out of 161 reservoirs in the central province of Binh Dinh have run dry due to the prolonged drought.

Most of them are located in the districts of Hoai Nhon, Phu Cat, Phu My, Hoai An, Tay Son, Vinh Thanh, Van Canh and An Lao.

The total water volume in the rest reaches 303 million cubic metres, accounting for 52 percent of their full capacity, and 86 percent of that in 2015.

Chairman of the Hoan An district People’s Committee Hoang Phi Long said his district has instructed localities to cultivate other crops than rice on over 300 hectares.

Dredging canals and ponds is being conducted to ensure a water supply for the 3,350 hectares of the Summer – Autumn crop, Long said.

Secretary of the Van Canh district Party Committee Le Ba Thanh said prolonged drought has dried up the Ha Thanh river, affecting dozens of hectares of crops in the locality.

Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Phan Trong Ho said the locality plans to cultivate rice on 40,750 hectares and other crops on 13,024 hectares in the Summer-Autumn crop.

However, currently, nearly half of the area has been due to lack of water, Ho said.

Thousands of households across the province have also suffered from drinking water shortages.

Up to 10,000 households or 41,000 people are forecast to fall into this situation in the peak dry season from mid June to late August.-VNA