Hanoi (VNA) - PrimeMinister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked authorities in the central and Central Highlands regions to take action to deal with the prolonged heat wave, droughtand saltwater intrusion.

Thesouth central and Central Highland regions have witnessed a sharp decline inrainfall since the beginning of this year compared with the average. The waterlevel in many irrigation and hydropower reservoirs have dropped to 20-60 percentof their designed capacity. Many small ones have even dried up. Drought and severe water shortage have occurred in somelocalities.

The Vietnam Meteorological andHydrological Administration has forecast that the heat will last until the endof August while water flow in the rivers will continue to decrease.

Ithas also predicted the possibility of widespread drought and water scarcity,which will seriously affect the production activities and lives of localresidents, particularly south central coastal provinces.

Tocope with the situation, PM Phuc told ministries, sectors and localities totake urgent measures to deal with it.

ThePM asked the People’s Committeesof Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen,Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan todredge irrigation systems, canals, ponds and wells or build makeshiftdams to store water.

Watersupply project should be sped up and pumping stations should be installedto ensure there would be enough water for local residents, schools, hospitalsand health facilities.

A campaignshould be launched to guide people on storing water and using iteffectively.

Localitieswere requested to instruct relevant agencies to assess the water maintained atirrigation and hydropower reservoirs to have appropriate plans for water usage.Priority should be given to supplying water for people’s daily lives, animalhusbandry and industrial crop cultivation of perennial trees.

Localitieswere supposed to restructure cultivation and adjust cropsbased on water sources and capacity.

TheMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) was assigned to direct andsupport localities in carrying out measures against drought and salineintrusion.

Theministry was also asked to work with the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT),Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) and VietnamElectricity (EVN), hydropower plants and localities in unifying plans to regulatewater at reservoirs on each river basin to supplement water for downstream,serving agricultural production and people’s daily lives.

The MONREwas directed to monitor the weather, increase forecasts and provide timelyinformation on drought and salt water intrusion to serve production andproactively take measures to prevent and combat drought, water shortageand saltwater intrusion.

The PMrequested the MoIT to instruct the EVN to ensure the supply of electricity forproduction and local residents and coordinate with media agenciesto raise awareness on energy saving, especially in the dry season.

The Ministryof Finance was authorised to coordinate with the MARD in summing uplocalities’ request for support relating to drought water shortage andsaltwater intrusion prevention and combat effort, and submit to the PrimeMinister.

The Ministryof Information and Communications, Voice of Vietnam,Vietnam Television, Vietnam News Agency and other media agencies were asked tostrengthen campaigns to raise awareness on water and energy saving inresponse to drought and water shortage which might occur more often./.