Mekong Delta sees water levels fall - Miscellany

Updated

September, 13 2012 09:52:55

Mekong Delta sees water levels fall

CUU LONG DELTA (VNS)— Water levels in Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta rivers since the beginning of this year's flooding season has been 0.3-0.8 metre lower than average, according to the Central Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Centre.

The water flow at upstream stretches of the Mekong River this year is 6-34 per cent lower than normal average levels because of less rainfall in the first three months of this year's rainy season.

Vo Thanh, director of An Giang Province's Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, said water levels in upstream areas of the Tien and Hau rivers, two major tributaries of the Mekong, are now about one metre lower than the same period last year.

Every year, the Tha La and Tra Su spillways release floodwaters from the end of August to September 5, but this year they have not done so because of the low water levels, according to the An Giang Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control.

At the Tien River in Tan Chau station in An Giang Province on Tuesday, the water level was 2.75 metres, 0.75 metre lower than the first warning level.

Water levels are rising and would reach their peak in mid October, according to the met office.

Many farmers in An Giang and Dong Thap, normally the hardest flood-hit provinces, said the quantity of fish and other aquatic species caught since the beginning of this year's flooding season was just 60 per cent of the same period last year because of low water levels.

In An Giang, the water level in paddy fields in Tinh Bien District and Chau Doc Town was about 0.5-1 metre high while it just topped the height of rice stubbles in downstream districts of Phu Tan and Chau Thanh.

The flooding season normally begins in September but came a month early this year and last year.

The flooding season is also a season for farmers in the Delta to raise fish and shrimp in paddy fields, grow lotuses and water chestnut, and make boats, tools and nets for fishing. — VNS

Send Us Your Comments:

Name:

Your E-mail address:

Title:

VietNamNews may edit your comments and not all emails will be published.

Hightlight

Disabled speaker inspires audience

More than 2,500 people attended a talk by Nick Vujicic, an inspirational speaker without arms and legs, at the White Palace Conference Centre in HCM City's Tan Binh District yesterday.

Crane accident leads to major power cut

A two-hour power failure caused by an incident on the 500kV north-south transmission line hindered road traffic in many southern provinces and HCM City yesterday afternoon.

Spread of hand-foot-mouth disease concerns hospitals

Hand-Foot-Mouth disease (HFMD) is now at its peak, having infected a total of 796 children in HCM City in April, an increase of 127 per cent against the same period last year.

US steel producers make dumping claim

After welded steel pipes and steel wire garment hangers, now welded stainless pressure pipe from Viet Nam continue to face charges of dumping in the US.