River "swallows" farmland, people worry about losing their livelihoods.

The Ayun River, approximately 17km long, originates in Kon Ka Kinh National Park and flows through the agricultural areas of Ayun commune (Gia Lai province). It is currently experiencing severe erosion.

Along both banks, the riverbed is deeply eroded and jagged, with rice paddies, cassava fields, and coffee plantations being "contaminated" by the water day by day; in some places, a slight push of the foot is enough to cause chunks of land to collapse into the swirling current. To preserve the land, people planted eucalyptus trees, but even their roots couldn't withstand the force of the water, with many stumps being swept away, leaving only jagged roots. In some sections, the erosion is nearly 5 meters deep, creating treacherous vertical cliffs that people dare not approach.

Mr. Huih (from Plei Atur village) used to own 4 sao (approximately 0.4 hectares) of rice paddies along the river, but many years ago, the entire area was "swallowed" by the Ayun River. Sitting in the middle of the dry, rocky riverbed, Mr. Huih's face was filled with sadness. He said that his family's rice land had turned into a riverbed and rocks, making cultivation impossible, and his family's life was becoming increasingly difficult.

According to Mr. Dinh Hyui, head of Plei Atur village, the riverbed through the village used to be only about 6 meters wide, but due to prolonged erosion, it has now widened to over 100 meters. Many rice paddies and cassava fields have been swept away, affecting more than 100 households. In addition, the entire village has about 600 hectares of rice land, but currently only one crop can be cultivated, with the other crop left fallow due to low water levels in the river and soil erosion.

Mr. Mai Thanh Chung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ayun commune, said that the erosion of the Ayun River has affected the lives of people in villages 1, Nhon Bong, Doan Ket, Plei Atur, Plei Bong, and Bong Pim. Currently, Ayun commune has included the project to build a 5km embankment to prevent erosion and a water-retaining dam in its medium-term public investment plan for the period 2026-2030. If built, the project will help protect agricultural land, maintain irrigation water sources, restore cultivated areas, create conditions for people to produce two rice crops, stabilize thousands of hectares of coffee, thereby improving people's lives and enhancing the rural landscape.

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Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/song-nuot-dat-ruong-dan-lo-mat-sinh-ke-post827176.html