Rising temperatures have prompted rising concern among Vietnamese residents as wildfires and water shortages impact central provinces.
VnExpress reports that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has found that evaporation rates in the Central Highlands are currently 20-30% higher than normal. As a result, 114,000 households are facing a water shortage, with the figure expected to rise to 138,000 in the near future. While the Ca, Ma and Ba rivers have lost up to 70% of their flow, 12 separate wildfires have hit regions ranging from Ha Tinh to Phu Yen, causing significant damage.
A record-setting summer has created blazing heat in central provinces, posting temperatures between 35°C and 38°C on average. On April 22, a national record-high temperature of 43.4°C in Ha Tinh set the tone for a sweltering summer in these areas. Such heat has laid the groundwork for severe forest fires and droughts.
According to the news source, the agriculture ministry has said that wildfires and droughts have affected 4.5% of crops in northern-central regions and 4.6% of crops in southern-central regions. This totals 21,600 hectares and 16,340 hectares, respectively.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has called for a number of efforts to deal with the crisis. Farmers switching to dry farming, digging wells, and dredging canals are all necessary to help save water in the region, Dan Tri reports. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, coupled with the agriculture ministry, has been tasked with monitoring reservoirs, while the Ministry of Industry and Trade and EVN have been ordered to provide sufficient power to pumping stations.
