Saltwater intrusion into rivers from the sea has caused damage to rice and other crops in the Mekong Delta.

In Vietnam’s Ca Mau province, 16,800ha of rice have been affected, according to the local Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The situation is expected to worsen, affecting more than 24,900ha of winter-spring rice and 340ha of other crops in the upcoming months.

Nguyen Tien Hai, chairman of the province People’s Committee, has ordered related agencies to take measures to cope with the saltwater intrusion.

The department and local authorities should review the situation and advise farmers on how to prevent possible damages, he said.

In An Giang province, which is less affected by saltwater intrusion than the delta’s other provinces, more than 9,200ha of rice and other crops could be affected, according to its steering committee for climate change and natural disaster response, search and rescue.

Tran Anh Thu, deputy head of the steering committee, said the province had informed farmers about when they could pump freshwater from canals to store for irrigation.

“The province has also taken measures to transport water for daily household use if there is a shortage.”

Saltwater has intruded deep into the delta, which comprises 12 provinces and Can Tho city, causing a water shortage for a large number of households.

In Ben Tre province, the intrusion has reached the second natural disaster warning level, according to the province’s Centre for Hydro-Meteorology Forecasting.

The salinity rate in the province’s main rivers is between two and 6.2 parts per thousand (ppt), enough to damage crops. Though it is still quite early in the dry season, this matches the record saltwater intrusion levels that occurred in the 2015-2016 season.

The centre has warned that between February 2 and 4, saltwater could cause a salinity rate of 4ppt 48-68km deep inside Chau Thanh and Cho Lach districts.

Some 56,800 households in Ben Tre are estimated to face a shortage of fresh water for daily use.

The number is more than 20,000 in Ca Mau.

In Hau Giang, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, and Ben Tre provinces, authorities have closed sluices to keep out saltwater and instructed farmers to use efficient irrigation methods to save fresh water and switch to drought-resistant crops.

VIET NAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK