HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Immediatemeasures and long-term plans should be implemented quickly to helpprovinces in the Mekong Delta cope with drought and salineintrusion, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le CongThanh has said.

Thanh has asked the ministry’s Vietnam Meteorologicaland Hydrological  Administration to improvethe monitoring of water flows and salinity rates in the delta’scoastal provinces and cities.

“They need to improve the quality ofthe forecasting systems and provide detailed assessment ofimpacts of natural disasters, drought and saltwater intrusion onindustries such as agriculture and water supply systems,” he said.

Thanh said the meteorological administration,the ministry’s other functional units and the Mekong RiverCommission (MRC) should work closely to monitor the discharge ofwater from reservoirs in the upper area of the Mekong River, andnegotiate with neighbouring countries upstream about the use of waterresources as well as the construction of hydroelectricdams and reservoirs.

According to the National Centre ofHydro-Meteorological Forecasting, total rainfall in the delta was 150to 250mm in August.

The total water flow in the upstream MekongRivers was 28-31 percent lower than the average amount recordedover many years.

The water levels in the Mekong River areincreasing, with the highest level reaching 2.5m at Tan Chau Stationon Tien River and 2.2m at Chau Doc Station on Hau River.

The water level has remained at 1.5m indistricts upstream such as An Giang province’s Tan Chau town and An Phu and PhuTan districts, and Dong Thap province’s Hong Ngu town and Hong Ngu and Tan Hongdistricts.

Hoang Duc Cuong, deputy generaldirector of the meteorological administration, said the current waterlevel on the mainstream Mekong River was much lowerthan the level in the past.

This has caused a highrisk of drought and salt water intrusion for the dry season thisyear and next years, mainly in the river mouth of the southern region, hesaid. “Salt water intrusion is predicted to come much earlier than usual,from the first months of 2020.”

The peak of the flooding is expected tooccur in late September or early October in the delta. From September, theamount of rainfall will drop quickly, while water flows inrivers will continue to decline.

The water level in the upper reaches of theMekong River will be seriously affected by tides.

Storms and tropical depressionsare forecast to directly affect the lower Mekong river basin,causing heavy rainfall.

The sudden discharge of water fromupstream hydropower plants could occur due to heavy rains, he warned.

Localities needed to befully prepared to promptly cope with unexpected floods.

Relevant ministries, branches andlocalities had been asked to closely monitor drought and salineintrusion to provide timely forecasts and warnings for residents, Thanhsaid.

“Localities should choose agriculturalproducts suited to their current conditions and actively takemeasures to combat the negative impacts.”

They should take inventories and make anassessment of the volume of water stored in the delta’s reservoirs andirrigation works to plan for agricultural production and daily use, hesaid.

“Installing more automatic monitoringstations, zoning the high risk areas of natural disasters,and creating a map warning of drought and saline intrusion arealso needed,” Thanh added.

The Vietnam Meteorological andHydrological Administration has proposed further research inearly forecasting and warning of drought and saltwater intrusion. Global issuesthat directly affect Vietnam’s weather will also be the focus.

It will issue regulations on monitoring andwarning of drought and saline intrusion to ensure that local authorities andresidents take preventive measures and respond to thesituation promptly./.