Hau Giang province declared a level-1 state of emergency on April 21. (Photo: VNA)Hau Giang (VNA) – The Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang declared a level-1 state of emergency for seawater intrusion in Long My district and Vi Thanh city on April 21.
Water in local rivers, canals and irrigation systems in the province have been dangerously saline since mid-April, with salinity hitting record highs in Long My district and Vi Thanh city.
Average salinity was measured between 5.2-13 per thousand, even more than 15 per thousand in some localities.
According to Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Van Dong, the province has closed over 100 temporary dams to prevent seawater intrusion while dredging dozens of canals and constructing irrigational facilities to supply fresh water for Long My district and Vi Thanh city.
To date, more than 80 percent of farmland in the province has been hit by salt water intrusion. Over 1,200 hectares of the winter-spring 2015-2016 rice crop have been damaged while aquatic farming areas have faced critical impacts.-VNA
