Salinity, droughts to come earlier in Mekong Delta

Illustrative image. Source: VNA

The rainy season in the Central Highlands and southern regions will last until October, with a high risk of low pressure and storms that go along with heavy rains, he said.

According to Lam, from August to October, mainstream flow in the Mekong River is likely to stay lower than the average level of many years by 10-30 percent.

Due to a lack of rainfall and low upstream flow in the Mekong River, the flood spike in 2019 in the Mekong Delta region will be lower than the average level of many years, with the peak of flood season falling in the first half of October, he said.

Upstream flow of the Mekong River to Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region is forecast to face a shortage of 10-30 percent, leading to high risk of droughts and early salinity.

Regarding flooding in Phu Quoc island of Kien Giang province as well as the Central Highlands and southern regions recently, Lam explained the strong southwest winds combined with inter-tropical convergence zone in the East Sea led to prolonged rains and high rainfall in the regions.

He noted that in Buon Me Thuot city of the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, total rainfall in the first 10 days of August was 402mm, much higher than the average level in the same period of many years at about 111mm.

In Phu Quoc, the rainfall in the first 10 days of August was 1,167mm, seven times higher than the average level in many years at only 163mm, and equivalent to one half of the average level in the island for the whole year of about 2,800mm. This was a record level of rainfall for the island since 1978, said Lam./.

VNF/VNA