Binh Thuan (VNA)ꦑ - The south-central coastal province of Binh Thuan declared a Level 2 emergency on May 7 regarding drought andwater shortages.
The provincial Departmentof Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) was ordered to take charge ofmatters and cooperate with relevant agencies and district-level people’s committeesto continue identifying measures to prevent and control drought, water shortages,and salinity. Together with relevantagencies and localities in the province, DARD will identify drought-affected areasand roll out response measures in accordance with the law on natural disaster preventionand control. Besides acceleratingurgent projects that have already been approved, DARD is to closely monitor andensure water levels at the Dai Ninh and Ham Thuan reservoirs. The provincial People’s CommitteeChairman requested that the provincial irrigation works exploitation company accelerate the maintenance of irrigation works while presenting plansto build urgent facilities to store and supply water for daily use and production,dredge canals and reservoirs, and build temporary pumping stations. The provincial Departmentof Planning and Investment in cooperation with provincial financial and agriculturaldepartments is to advise the People’s Committee on the budget for urgent works andprojects in drought prevention. Localities in theprovince are requested to conduct campaigns to encourage residents to use waterefficiently and to build domestic water containers, while conducting efforts toensure clean water supply for local people, particularly the poor, near-poor, socialwelfare recipients, and ethnic minority households. Prolonged heat wavesand an absence of rain have taken a toll on Binh Thuan since early this year. Mostlocalities in the province, especially Bac Binh, Ham Thuan Nam, and Nam Thuan Bacdistricts, are facing severe drought and lack water for daily use and agriculture.More than 13,000 hectares of dragon fruit in Bac Binh and Ham Thuan Bac districtshave been damaged. Water supply to localhouseholds is also running out. Over 26,000 households with 98,000 people in 39communes and wards are short of water. Many must buy clean water at high pricesof 80,000 to 120,000 VND (3 to 5 USD) per cubic metre. The province hasalso stopped farming on over 15,000 hectares of farm land so that residents can receive waterfor daily use and for their livestock./.
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Illustrative image (Photo: Internet) 
