Nearly 55,000 ha of crops in central region hit by drought

Many hectares of rice may be destroyed due to lack of water (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - Close to 55,000 ha of crops in the central region are lacking in water, according to the Directorate of Water Resources at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Some 21,200 ha in the central and north-central regions are suffering from the effects of drought, primarily in the provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, and Quang Tri.

A total of 8,200 ha has been narrowed or switched to other crops, while the figure is 25,300 ha in the south-central region.

The hardest-hit localities have been Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, and Binh Thuan.

Average capacity at reservoirs in the north-central region is forecast to stand at 36 percent of designed capacity by late July, the office has said.

In the peak of the 2020 summer-autumn crop, up to 30,000 plants will face water shortages, accounting for 6-7 percent of the total cultivation area.

Reservoirs in the south-central region are projected to provide sufficient water for the upcoming crop. Some locations along the Vu Gia - Thu Bon river basin in Quang Nam province and Da Nang and surrounding areas, however, may also be affected by saline intrusion./.