Drought, saltwater dry up Mekong Delta’s largest reservoir
The Kenh Lap Reservoir in Ben Tre province, the largest in the Mekong Delta, is drying up due to drought and saltwater intrusion, leaving thousands of households facing a water shortage.
The Kenh Lap Reservoir in Ben Tre province’s Ba Tri district is drying up because of the impact of drought and saltwater intrusion (Photo: VNA)
BenTre (VNA) 💧- The Kenh Lap Reservoir in Ben Tre province, the largest inthe Mekong Delta, is drying up due to drought and saltwater intrusion, leavingthousands of households facing a water shortage.
The reservoir in Ba Tri districtis nearly 5km long and 40 -100m wide. It used to be a canal running intothe Ba Lai River, and was converted into a reservoir last year.
It has a capacity of more than800,000 cu.m and supplies water to 200,000 people in the district.
Ho Van Thuong, deputy head ofthe district’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said because ofprolonged drought and saltwater intrusion since the end of last year, all thewater in the reservoir has been drawn and it has little left.
It has not received water sinceJanuary 10 because the 9A Canal, which supplies it water, was affected bysaltwater intrusion.
Ba Tri has more than 11,000households facing a water shortage because all 12 water supply plants andpumping stations in the district have been affected by saltwater intrusion,according to its People’s Committee.
The committee has called ondonations of water, containers and purifiers to help local people overcome thecrippling shortage.
Donors have provided thousandsof cubic metres of freshwater and more than 5,000 containers, funded drillingof more than 100 wells and installed 66 purifiers for filtering saltwater inpublic places to provide free water to locals.
Ben Tre is one of the delta’scoastal provinces facing severe saltwater intrusion, which is expected to lastuntil May, according to the province’s Centre for Hydro-MeteorologyForecasting./.
Since drought and saltwater intrusion are becoming severe in the Mekong Delta in the dry season, localities in the region have actively developed plans, scenarios, and implemented solutions to prevent and control drought and saltwater intrusion in order to stabilize the people's life.
Tan Phu Dong, an islet district in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, has developed specialised farming areas to enable local farmers to adapt to climate change.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan on April 30 attended a ceremony to hand over a RO water purifier to the authority of Giong Trom district in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre which aims to meet the demand of fresh water for local people.
Mariam Sherman, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, said the World Bank remains committed to working with the Vietnamese government to develop the next phase of climate resilience and transformation for the Mekong Delta.
Under the directive, the PM instructed relevant agencies to regularly inspect, supervise and proactively implement disaster prevention, response and rescue measures in line with their assigned roles and mandates, ensuring readiness, avoiding passivity or delays, and maintaining operational continuity amid ongoing political and administrative restructuring at levels.
According to Dr. Vu Anh Tuan, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Space Centre and head of the project, this is the first study in Vietnam to simultaneously employ Sentinel-2 satellite data, advanced machine learning algorithms, and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud computing platform to model and monitor key seawater quality parameters.
The Deposit Return System is seen as a potential instrument for effectively advancing Vietnam’s vision of a circular economy, as outlined in Article 142 of the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection.
The figures were highlighted in a Pre-Feasibility Study on a DRS tailored for single-use beverage packaging in Vietnam, conducted by Eunomia Research & Consulting.
Young people should not view AI as salvation but rather as a tool under human control. Young creators should focus on learning and accumulating practical knowledge, using AI as a tool to carry out artistic projects in the most effective and cost-efficient manner.
Saigon Hi-Tech Park’s ambitious 50% renewable energy goal far exceeds the city’s 15% target, positioning the park as a trailblazing “living lab” for sustainable energy solutions.
Vietnam's economic losses from natural disasters are estimated to account for 1 to 1.5% of GDP annually - a steep price that will continue to rise unless the country takes strong action.
Wutip, the first storm in the East Sea so far this year, has wreaked havoc across central Vietnam, claiming lives, displacing residents, and causing widespread damage to houses, crops, and infrastructure, the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention and Control reported as of 6:30 pm on June 13.
The tremor occurred at 7:39:46 am (Hanoi time), with the epicentre located at latitude 14.924°N and longitude 108.236°E, at a depth of approximately 8.1 kilometres. The natural disaster risk level was classified as 0 – the lowest on the scale.
Addressing a session on “Accelerating Financing for Resilience: Tailored Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction,” Deputy Minister Hiep emphasised Vietnam's proposal in building sustainable financing in response to natural disasters, which aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction's goals.
Vietnam has demonstrated its strong commitments by participating in global sustainable development forums, signing multiple free trade agreements, and attracting support from international partners for the implementation of the SDGs.
The fight against plastic pollution could not succeed through isolated efforts, but it must be a collective endeavour involving the entire political system, businesses, citizens, and the international community, said Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy.
Lang Son Global Geopark, with its outstanding geological values, cultural heritage, and unique natural landscapes, represents a valuable addition to UNESCO’s global geoparks system.
In 2019, Quang Ninh became one of the first localities in Vietnam to launch a province-wide campaign against plastic waste, mobilising the participation of the political system, the business sector, and the general public. Other localities—such as Hai Phong, Da Nang, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City—have also effectively implemented waste-sorting initiatives at source, along with models for plastic-free markets and urban areas.
This year’s World Oceans Day on June 8 is themed 'Wonderful Oceans: Sustaining What Sustains Us', while World Environment Day is on June 5 with the theme: 'Beat Plastic Pollution'.
According to Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment Le Huu Toan, a fire prevention and control plan has been in place since the dry season began, including round-the-clock patrols and rapid-response teams to snuff out fires before they could spread.
Renowned artists including Ha Anh Tuan, Den Vau, and Phan Manh Quynh, along with many directors and attendees, took part in planting hundreds of rare tree species such as mun (Diospyros mun) and cho chi (Parashorea chinensis) in the Thung Bong area of the Cuc Phuong National Park, contributing to forest ecosystem restoration.
The Kenh Lap Reservoir in Ben Tre province’s Ba Tri district is drying up because of the impact of drought and saltwater intrusion (Photo: VNA)
