Thousands of people in Vietnam are facing a severe fresh water shortage due to drought and salinisation, leading authorities to declare a state of emergency in Tien Giang province.
A prolonged heatwave has exacerbated the situation, particularly affecting the Tan Phu Dong area, which is situated along the South China Sea coastline and has been heavily impacted by saline intrusion.
The intrusion of saltwater has significantly damaged crops and affected numerous households among the local population of 43,000. In response to the crisis, a state of emergency has been declared for the Tan Phu Dong district to address the acute shortage of water for domestic use.
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Government agencies have mobilized efforts to transport fresh water to ponds and reservoirs in the district to sustain the water supply for affected residents.
The Mekong Delta region, where Tien Giang province is located, experiences annual saltwater intrusion, but the situation has worsened due to more intense heatwaves and rising sea levels attributed to climate change.
A recent study estimated that the Mekong Delta faces nearly $3 billion in crop losses annually as saltwater continues to encroach on arable land, affecting around 80,000 hectares of rice and fruit farms.
The region had previously experienced severe salinisation during the 2016 drought, impacting 160,000 hectares of soil.
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