Another 70,000ha of rice fields in the region have been severely affected. Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces have had no rainfall over the last month and temperatures have soared to between 37-39 degrees Celsius. Water levels in the region's rivers and reservoirs have fallen to their lowest levels, increasing salt water intrusion and making it very difficult to irrigate crops. Northern Vinh Phuc Province has eight large reservoirs with a total capacity of 150 million cubic metres that can irrigate 31,000ha of arable land, but water levels in all these reservoirs are very low.

 About 4,000ha, or 15 per cent of the province's total rice area, are suffering a severe water shortage and could be destroyed by drought.

Temporary pumps

The province's irrigation companies have installed more temporary pump stations in areas where water is available to try and save as much of the rice crop as possible.

Phung Quang Hung, deputy chairman of the Vinh Phuc People's Committee, said the province would provide additional funds and partly subsidise fuel expenses for the irrigation companies.

In central Ha Tinh Province, nearly 13,000ha of rice have been facing a water shortage, and 5,000ha had withered because of the drought as of Tuesday.

Thousands of hectares of green beans and peanuts have also suffered from the water shortage.

Sixty reservoirs in Ha Tinh have dried up and water levels in several rivers have dropped to the lowest level in many years.

At the Ngan Pho River, for example, there is no water in the section from Son Tan Commune to Son Kim Commune in Huong Son District and local residents can walk across the river, something they could never do in previous years.

Households suffer

Tran Minh Ky, deputy chairman of the Ha Tinh People's Committee, said more than 3,000 people living along rivers, streams and mountainous areas were facing a shortage of clean water for daily use.

"In many communes in Huong Son, Huong Khe and Vu Quang districts, people have to fetch water from nearby small ponds or walk several kilometres away from their homes to get water for daily use," Ky said. In central Quang Binh Province, about 3,500 households in islet communes along the Gianh River in Quang Trach District are facing a shortage of clean water as they are surrounded by salt water.

People in the islet communes usually harvest rainwater during the rainy season and store it in tanks for daily use, but this has run out.

Many families have to buy fresh water transported from the mainland by boats at prices of VND50,000-70,000 (US$2.6-3.6) per cubic metre.

Dau Minh Ngoc, chairman of the Quang Trach District People's Committee, said his administration has instructed local authorities in islet communes to efficiently use all water sources including reservoirs and pools to increase clean water supply for local residents.

"Quang Trach has also spent VND100 million ($5,200) from its reserves to support islet communes in providing clean water for their residents," said Ngoc.

"The district's Preventive Medicine Centre, in co-operation with commune health centres, has used Cloramin B to sterilise water from available sources to ensure supply of safe water," he added.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News