HCMC – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered proactive measures to address saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta and severe drought and forest fire risks across south-central and southeastern Vietnam.
Official Dispatch No. 15/CD-TTg comes as agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment have forecast a transition in El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) states, with an 80-90% probability of shifting to neutral conditions through May before potentially moving toward El Nino later in the year.
While water levels in irrigation and hydropower reservoirs currently remain stable at 70-80% capacity, rainfall and river flows are expected to stay low during the peak of the dry season. Saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta is already at levels comparable to the multi-year average, with salinity boundaries of 4g/liter projected to reach 42-55 km inland along the Mekong river tributaries through March.
The Vam Co and Cai Lon rivers may face even deeper penetration, reaching 65-70 km inland during March and April. Although these conditions have yet to severely impact livelihoods, the prime minister emphasized that abnormal upstream activities on the Mekong River could trigger unpredictable and adverse saltwater surges.
To safeguard agricultural production and domestic water supplies, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has been tasked with providing continuous short-term and long-term hydrological forecasts. The ministry is also ordered to monitor water diversion and hydropower operations outside Vietnam’s borders to better predict downstream salinity.
Local authorities are urged to guide farmers in adjusting crop calendars and prioritizing water storage for high-value perennial crops, ensuring that no residential areas or essential facilities such as schools and hospitals face fresh water shortages.
In parallel, the Ministry of Industry and Trade must ensure stable electricity supplies for production while optimizing hydropower operations to balance power generation with irrigation needs. Provincial leaders across the south-central, southeastern, and Mekong Delta regions are authorized to utilize local budgets for immediate drought and fire prevention efforts.
The Government’s overarching goal is to maintain absolute readiness and avoid passive responses to climate-driven emergencies, particularly in coastal municipalities where the risk of abnormal salinity spikes remains highest.
