A state of emergency over the shortage of water for domestic use was announced on April 6 for the Tan Phu Dong district.PHOTO: EPA
UPDATED APR 06, 2024, 07:58 PM
HANOI – Thousands of people in Vietnam are suffering a “severe” shortage of fresh water because of drought and salinisation, prompting the authorities to declare a state of emergency on April 6.
A weeks-long heatwave has brought drought and saline intrusion to an area of Tien Giang province, 60km south of business hub Ho Chi Minh City.
The province’s Tan Phu Dong area – with 12km of coastline along the South China Sea, criss-crossed by waterways – has been particularly badly hit.
Salinisation – the intrusion of salt water from the sea – has severely affected crops and thousands of households among the 43,000 people living in the area, the state-controlled Vietnam News Agency said.
A state of emergency over the shortage of water for domestic use was announced on April 6 for the Tan Phu Dong district, it added.
Relevant agencies have been asked “to transport fresh water to ponds and reservoirs in the district to maintain fresh water supply to people there”, the report said.
During this dry season, prolonged drought and deeper saline intrusion in the upper Tien river have surrounded communities with salty water.
SOURCE: THE STRAITS TIMES
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