Mekong Delta faces high risk of saltwater intrusion, Prime Minister directs response

The dispatch stated that due to the impact of climate change and the El Nino phenomenon, weather and natural disasters are becoming increasingly erratic. Currently, saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta is increasing with the high tide.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, in the dry season of 2023 - 2024, saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta will be higher than the average of many years, equivalent to 2020 - 2021. During the peak period (around February - April 2024), there may be local shortages of fresh water and saline intrusion deep into river mouths; in the Central and Central Highlands regions, there may also be droughts and local shortages of fresh water, affecting production and people's lives in the dry season.

ĐBSCL đối mặt nguy cơ xâm nhập mặn cao, Thủ tướng chỉ đạo ứng phó- Ảnh 1. — In 2024, the risk of drought and saltwater intrusion is high in the Mekong Delta and the Central region. The Central Highlands also faces drought and water shortage.

To proactively respond to the risk of drought, local water shortages, and saltwater intrusion, the Prime Minister requested Ministers and Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to monitor and proactively deploy response work to the risk of drought, water shortages, and saltwater intrusion in the peak months of the upcoming dry season.

In particular, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment directs to closely monitor the impact of El Nino, weather developments, water resources, promptly provide information on the situation, short-term and long-term forecasts on hydrology, water resources, risks of drought, water shortage, and saltwater intrusion across the country, especially in the Mekong Delta and the Central and Central Highlands regions so that authorities, localities and people know, proactively implement preventive measures, and resolutely respond to avoid passivity and surprise.

Organize the collection of information on water resources, the operation and regulation of hydroelectric reservoirs outside Vietnam's territory, and the exploitation and use of water by countries upstream of transboundary rivers to serve the work of forecasting water resources, the risk of water shortages in some large reservoirs in the North and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall closely monitor developments and make specialized forecasts on water resources, water quality, and risks of water shortages and saltwater intrusion to provide information to localities and people. At the same time, it is also necessary to proactively direct the implementation of work to prevent, combat, and overcome the consequences of drought, water shortages, and saltwater intrusion in accordance with actual developments at each time and each region. Coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and relevant provincial People's Committees to direct the flexible and effective operation of irrigation reservoirs, hydropower plants, and irrigation systems to exploit, use effectively, and optimize water resources.

Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, especially those in the Mekong Delta, the Central region and the Central Highlands: Closely monitor weather developments, hydrometeorological forecasts, droughts, and saltwater intrusion; determine the level of impact on each locality to proactively deploy response measures.

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