However, the situation will not be as severe as last year and is hoped to improve in late August, the centre’s experts said.
They also warned of lower water levels in most regional rivers, resulted in the deep intrusion of sea water, while t he rainy season is expected to come late this year.
The region already suffered from water shortage in the first four months of this year, with rainfall levels dropping 50-90 percent this year compared to the first three months of last year. The situation was especially serious in the southern central provinces of Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan and Central Highlands localities, where many areas saw no rain at all.
Meanwhile, water levels in reservoirs have reached only 60-70 percent of their designed capacity.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked affected localities to preserve water in reservoirs and dredge rivers, canals and wells to mitigate the impact of drought and saline intrusion.
The ministry has also asked the Prime Minister to order agencies to help the localities affected by drought and saline intrusion.-VNA
