Viet Nam: Drought - Aug 1998

Viet Nam is affected by a prolonged drought. The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Hanoi informs that UNDP organized a meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on 11 August 1998, attended by a number of UN agencies, diplomatic missions and IFRC. According to MARD, there have been two periods of drought since late 1997 to date: The first period, from late 1997 to May 1998 and the second, from June to the present.

In the first period, more than 600,000 households or three million people were affected. Some 380,000 tonnes of paddy equivalent were destroyed. 11,400 ha were destroyed by forest fires due to the drought, and 19,360 ha of water areas used for aquatic production dried up. 274,000 households suffered from food shortage. Total economic losses were estimated at VND 5,290 billion (USD 407 million), excluding possible losses for future harvests due to a fall in production of some agricultural crops. Local authorities and people have spent about VND 515 billion (USD 40 million) for water supply, water pumping, temporary dams, channel dredging and well drilling, to combat the drought.

In the second period, Central Viet Nam and Central Highlands are affected, including 13 provinces from Nghe An to Binh Thuan, with seven provinces severely affected, namely Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh. As of 10 August 1998, 66,000 ha of winter-spring rice were affected, of which 50,000 ha were totally destroyed. In addition, 74,500 ha of summer-autumn rice were affected, of which 41,400 ha will be totally destroyed. 230,000 people did not have access to safe water. (OCHA, 14 Aug 1998)