Many rice fields dried up due to drought in Nghệ An Province. — Photo vov.vn

NGHỆ AN — Nghệ An is reeling from severe hot weather and prolonged drought, with seven heatwaves hitting the central province since the beginning of the year.

Rivers, lakes, ponds and rice fields have dried up, seriously affecting local life and production.

The intense heat and lack of water have destroyed 40ha of vegetables in Tương Dương District’s Tam Quang Commune.

Farmers had to skip two rice crops due to water shortages.

“We could not plant rice during the continuous heatwaves and prolonged drought,” said Nguyễn Thị Hoài, a farmer in Tam Quang Commune.

“All our rice fields were destroyed,” she said.

Farmers had to abandon their fields because more dams and reservoirs are drying up.

Đô Lương District has suffered the worst drought since 1993, with 710ha of rice damaged.

Nguyễn Văn Chiến, vice chairman of Giang Sơn Đông Commune of Đô Lương, said: “This year’s drought was the worst since 1993. The agricultural production was based on 17 dams and reservoirs.”

The water shortfall has also affected hundreds of households.

Last week, 35 households in Cửa Rào Hamlet of mountainous Con Cuông District suffered a severe dearth.

All local wells dried up, while households had to save water from streams.

“We were going through hard days because of the lack of water for people and cattle,” said La Thị Nguyệt, a resident.

People of Tương Dương District had to use high-capacity pumps to take water from rivers to households, said Kha Thị Hiền, chairwoman of Tam Quang Commune in the district.

Many households had to dig deep wells to survive.

At present, the water levels in rivers of Nghệ An Province was 35-45 per cent lower than the same period last year.

According to forecasts, the drought would continue posing problems, she added. — VNS