The centre reportedsalinity levels areas field between 40-60 kilometres deep in land withsalt-to-soil ratios of up to 0,006:1 in some areas.
The level is forecast to reach its peak in mid-March, ravaging mostly Kien Giang, An Giang and Soc Trang provinces.
In Ben Tre province, the hardest hit localities include Ba Tri, Cho Lach and Chau Thanh districts.
The centre also forecasts salinity will continue hitting the MekongDelta region until mid-May this year, decreasing only upon the arrivalof the rainy season.
To cope with the situation,regional localities have applied anti-salinity measures, includingclosing all irrigation sluices, building temporary dykes to prevent saltwater, and pumping fresh water to high-salinity areas.-VNA