HANOI: A state of emergency was declared in Vietnam on Saturday as thousands of people grapple with a critical shortage of fresh water due to drought and salinization.
The crisis, exacerbated by a prolonged heatwave, has particularly affected Tien Giang province, located 60km south of the bustling city of Ho Chi Minh.
In Tan Phu Dong, an area with 12km of coastline along the South China Sea and an intricate network of waterways, the impact has been devastating. Salinization, the infiltration of salt water from the sea, has wreaked havoc on crops and left thousands of households, out of the 43,000 residents in the area, without access to clean water, as reported by the state-controlled Vietnam News Agency.
In response to the dire situation, a state of emergency was declared for the Tan Phu Dong district, with immediate measures being taken to address the shortage of water for domestic use. Authorities have mobilized relevant agencies to transport fresh water to ponds and reservoirs in the district, ensuring a stable supply of clean water to the affected population.
