Nguyen Thi Nhuong, a farmer from Dai Son commune in Nghe An province’s Do Luong district, picks wilted rice plants to provide food for her buffalo. (Photo: baonghean.vn) Nghe An (VNS/VNA) - Prolongedhot and dry weather has affected more than 1,200ha of rice and other crops inthe central province of Nghe An’s Do Luong district, a local newspaperreported.
As much as 81ha used foraquaculture was also reported damaged, with dead fish lying on the parchedground.
Most reservoirs in the districthave hit record lows and are no longer able to supply water to rice paddies.
Nguyen Thi Nhuong, aresident of the district's Dai Son commune, said that despite spending a lot oftime preparing the soil, sowing rice and distributing fertiliser, herfamily’s cultivation of area of 2,520sq.m was gradually dying due to thelack of water.
“Since the prolonged heat haskilled many rice cultivation areas, my family and local residents hope theGovernment will provide some assistance to offset the initial investment,”she told Nghe An newspaper.
Nhuong said she had no choice butto harvest her rice to provide food for her buffalo, adding that she hadspent several million VND on the rice seeds, fertiliser and otherexpenses.
It was estimated that 254ha outof the commune’s 366ha of rice growing area was threatened by the ongoingdrought. Thirteen out of the commune's 14 reservoirs were running out of water.
Due to the extremely low waterlevels and continuous hot weather, dead fish can be seen along the bottomof Cho Ran reservoir.
Pumps are running at fullcapacity to supply water for rice cultivation, said Nguyen Van Thai, anotherresident.
Farmers in Hien Son commune aresuffering the same ordeal with 115ha of summer-autumn rice withering because ofthe drought.
Ru Hoi, Hoa Long and Hoa Phuvillages have been hardest hit.
Experts said that because theheat is expected to last until September, the amount of destroyed crops willcontinue to rise.-VNS/VNA
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