Delta evacuates residents from danger as waters rise

Thousands of other families in the Mekong Delta are still in danger because provincial authorities have not built enough flood-proof clusters for them as they are facing capital shortages.— VNA/VNS Photo Dinh Hue

CUU LONG DELTA (VNS)— Provincial authorities in the Mekong Delta are focussing efforts on evacuating residents from areas prone to floods and landslides.

Officials in An Giang Province said they have moved nearly 1,000 households from areas in danger of landslides to flood-proof residential clusters in Long Xuyen City, Tan Chau Town and districts of An Phu, Chau Phu and Cho Moi.

Vinh Long Province has taken 200 families in areas afftected by landslides in Binh Minh District to flood-proof clusters, before flood water reach alarming levels in the province.

The Hau Giang People's Committee said they have moved some 200 households from landslide-prone areas in Nga Bay Town, as well as the districts of Phung Hiep and Chau Thanh, to safety in new resettlement areas.

Meanwhile, officials of Thanh Binh District in Dong Thap Province have spent VND1 billion (US$47,600) to consolidate embankments and protect some 150 metres of river bank in danger of erosion in Binh Thanh Commune, aiming to safeguard 394 households currently living in the area.

The Dong Thap People's Committee has also decided to spend over VND60 billion ($2.8 million) to build flood-proof clusters in Tan Binh Commune to house over 300 households.

However, thousands of other families in the Mekong Delta are still in danger because provincial authorities have not built enough flood-proof clusters for them as they are facing capital shortages.

An Giang Province has asked the central Government to allocate budgets for building 19 new flood-proof clusters to accommodate 5,500 households affected by landslides since the flooding season last year.

Dinh Xuan Hoang, deputy director of the Dong Thap Construction Department, said the province has asked the Government for funds to build five new flood-proof clusters.

Hoang said existing facilities in the provine can now admit only households who have to be evacuated immediately.

"We do not have enough flood-proof clusters to accommodate all families currently living in areas prone to landslides," Hoang said. — VNS