Serious erosion has occurred on the Tiểu Dừa coast in An Minh District in Kiên Giang Province . — VNA/VNS Photo Lê Huy Hải

KIÊN GIANG — The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Kiên Giang needs to spend more than VNĐ1.6 trillion (US$69 million) to solve erosion along coastal areas, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Nguyễn Văn Tâm, the department director, said that erosion has affected 80 kilometres of the province’s 200km coastline.

Serious erosion has occurred at the Mũi Rãnh section in An Biên District, and the Xẻo Nhàu section and Kim Quy – Tiểu Dừa section in An Minh District. The three sections have a total length of 15.7 kilometres and will require VNĐ333 billion ($14.4 million) to fix the problem.

A 25km stretch of a sea dyke on Hòn Quéo islet in Hòn Đất District’s Thổ Sơn Commune has eroded and needs about VNĐ625 billion ($27 million) in repairs.

The coastal erosion has caused damage to protective forests, sea dykes and other infrastructure, and has affected the safety and lives of residents in coastal areas.

Last week, the province’s People’s Committee signed a decision to deal with coastline sections in An Biên, An Minh, Hòn Đất and Kiên Lương districts. 

In An Minh, erosion occurs at the Tiểu Dừa – Mười Thân, Xẻo Nhàu – Chủ Vàng and Chủ Vàng – Mười Thân sections. The sections have a total length of 24.4 kilometres.

The People’s Committee asked the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to work with people’s committees in the four districts and other agencies to set up warning boards in erosion-prone areas. The four districts should also encourage people to move to safe areas, it said.

The four districts were asked to prepare plans to mobilise human resources, materials and vehicles to act promptly in emergencies and to help residents relocate.

Priority will be given to dangerously eroded areas that threaten the safety of local people and agricultural production, according to the People's Committee.  VNS