Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The Directorate of Water Resources has asked MekongDelta localities to take preventative measures to mitigate the impact of hightides coming at the end of this month.

It sent a document to the departments of agriculture and rural development ofthe delta’s 12 provinces and the city of Can Tho to warn about the impact ofthe high tides to agricultural production and the lives of locals.

The high tides are estimated to last during October 26-31 and their levels arehigher than the average of many years such as 2011, 2018, 2019 and 2020, whichhad high levels of high tides, said the directorate.

In Soc Trang province, the ongoing high tides are expected to reach their peakat 2.25-2.35 metres high, equal to or higher than the levels of the high tidestwo weeks ago.

The ongoing high tides are estimated to reach their peaks at 2.1-2.5 metreshigh in Can Tho and 2.05-2.15 metres high in Vinh Long province, lower than thelevels of high tides two weeks ago.

The directorate has warned that the high tides can affect agriculturalproduction in low-lying areas which have low and weak embankments and dykesalong the Tien and Hau rivers and the coastal areas of Tien Giang, Ben Tre, TraVinh, Vinh Long, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau and Kien Giangprovinces and Can Tho.

It has asked the departments to check dykes and embankments and consolidateweak ones to mitigate the impact of high tides on agricultural production,especially perennial trees.

The delta’s provinces and Can Tho should set up plans to cope with floodingwhen there are heavy rains during the high tides, it said.

The Vinh Long provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention andControl, Search and Rescue has asked the province’s localities to strictlymonitor the situation of rains and flooding and inform local people so they cantake proactive preventative measures.

Localities should inspect and relocate households living in erosion-proneplaces to safe areas, and prepare human and material resources to cope withhigh tides and flooding, it said.

Phan Van Dung, deputy head of the office of the Hau Giang provincial SteeringCommittee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue, saidthe province has set up preventative measures to cope with high tides incombination with heavy rains.

Local people in Hau Giang have been instructed to build embankments to protectfruit orchards and fish ponds, and prepare pumps to pump flood waters out offruit orchards.

The province’s local authorities have installed warning billboards atflood-prone roads to ensure the travel safety of locals.

Two weeks ago, the delta’s provinces and Can Tho faced high levels of hightides which severely affected the lives of locals and agricultural production.

In Can Tho, the last high tide deeply inundated many streets in the city’scentral areas, affecting travel. The city let students stay at home for fivedays.

In Vinh Long province, the last high tide flooded 500ha of rice, vegetable andfruit crops, more than 500 houses and 68 fish ponds, and broke 28 embankment sectionsand eight dams./.