Viet Nam: Drought and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta joint assessment report
Since 2019, severe drought and saltwater intrusion conditions have been detected and have begun to significantly affect the livelihoods, food security and water supply of people across 13 provinces in the Mekong Delta region.
Seasonal weather forecasts and satellite observations indicate that the level of severity will continue to increase, peaking in March to April 2020.
The ongoing trend of unfolding events, as well as Government reports indicate that impacts are expected to be more severe compared to the record 2015-2016 drought.
Lessons learned from 2015-2016 are being implemented:
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Government has built large infrastructure to reduce saltwater intrusion (sluice systems).
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Government is proactively monitoring the situation and has requested early support.
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Government, UN and partners are coordinating efforts since December 2019 and are implementing early actions.
While Government has mobilized internal resources, most measures focus on large-scale infrastructure, leaving gaps in addressing needs of the most vulnerable households.
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