A section of the western coastal dyke in Cà Mau Province being consolidated ahead of the rainy season due to begin any time now. The 108km long dyke protects 129,000ha of farmlands and 26,000 households.– VNA/VNS Photo Kim Há

CÀ MAU — The Cà Mau People’s Committee has ordered local authorities across the province to strengthen measures to check erosion and subsidence along rivers and canals, coasts and elsewhere to safeguard people and their properties.

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province has had more than 1,600 instances of erosion and subsidence affecting more than 25 kilometres of land this year, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

A single district, Trần Văn Thời, accounted for 1,109 cases, all of them along rural roads.

The 2019 - 20 dry season came early and was hotter than in previous years, causing canals to dry up, one of the reasons for erosion and subsidence, according to the department. 

Nguyễn Tiến Hải, chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, has instructed relevant departments, agencies and localities to immediately inspect areas that face a risk of erosion or subsidence and take preventive measures.

All materials, vehicles, human resources, and funds required should be mobilised for tackling the issue during the upcoming rainy season, he said.

The rainy season normally begins in May.

The People’s Committee has instructed the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Agriculture and Rural Development Projects Management Board to undertake erosion and subsidence prevention works on both eastern and western coasts as scheduled.

The province has begun to crack down on illegal dredging of inland water ways, rivers and canals to mine sand and severely penalises offenders. — VNS