Vietnam Central Region Hit by Severe Drought

A severe drought, the most critical in 30 years, is occurring in Vietnam’s central region, affecting the local agriculture and citizen’s livelihood, state media reported. Particularly, Binh Dinh and Phu Yen provinces are the two localities hit hardest by the drought. More than 13,000 hectares, including 7,846 ha of rice in Binh Dinh, are withering due to the drought, while over 30,000 households are suffering from water shortage for their daily use. Local officials estimate that the number of affected households can rise further if there is no rain from now until the end of the month. As many as 123 out of total 165 water reservoirs in Binh Dinh have no water while the water level of the remaining tanks is at very low. The same situation can be seen in Phu Yen province. Over 4,000 ha out of 17,000 ha of summer-autumn rice and thousands of hectares of forest and sugarcane and cassava died. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development asked the government to provide an aid package of more than VND100 billion ($4.7 million) for Binh Dinh to overcome the on-going drought. Phu Yen also asked the government to support VND11 billion to deal with the drought. (Lao Dong – Labor July 9 p1)