HANOI, March 22 (Xinhuanet) -- A prolonged drought is hitting many
provinces in south Vietnam, including Tay Nguyen region and Mekong
River Delta.
   Over the past seven months, total rainfall in the southern
region has dropped by between 30 percent and 40 percent to the
lowest level in many years, and water levels in rivers have fallen
dramatically.
   In the country's central and southern provinces, several
reservoirs have water levels between 5 and 12 meters lower than
usual.
   In addition, the mean relative humidity in this year's dry
season has dropped to 66 percent instead of 77 percent, resulting
in increased saline water infiltration.
   More than 10,965 hectares of rice and thousands hectares of
vegetable gardens, orchards and cash crop plantations in the Tay
Nguyen have been affected by water shortage, of which 4,265 of
rice are in danger of being lost.
   The situation is similar in Mekong Delta provinces including
Kien Giang, Ca Mau and Ben Tre, where 18,560 hectares of rice
fields have been affected.
   Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has urged affected
provinces to take measures to minimize impact of the drought and
work towards bumper harvests.  Enditem