On November 22, the People's Committee of Ca Mau province officially developed a plan to respond to drought and salinity in 2025. Ca Mau assessed that the rainy season in 2024 is about to end, so it requested localities in the freshwater area to proactively regulate and store fresh water to serve production and people's lives in the dry season of 2024-2025.
To be proactive in responding to the 2024-2025 dry season, the Provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue and Civil Defense requests relevant units and localities to closely monitor hydrometeorological forecast information from competent authorities, promptly inform, propagate and warn people and relevant organizations to proactively implement prevention and response solutions.
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development directs its affiliated units to coordinate with local authorities to operate properly and effectively the system of culverts, dams, pumping stations, etc. to protect production. Strengthen inspection, review, maintenance and repair of irrigation systems (culverts, dams)... Speed up the progress of dredging canals and ditches that have been approved to increase water storage for production. Guide localities to develop a seasonal schedule suitable to weather conditions and organize production in accordance with actual conditions. Strengthen disease prevention and control on crops, livestock and aquaculture in the current period, especially during the transitional season.
The People's Committees of districts and Ca Mau city shall preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies to strengthen recommendations for people to organize production according to the crop calendar and instructions of specialized agencies.Regularly inspect and monitor the area, guide organizations and households to proactively implement solutions to prevent and combat damage caused by water shortages and saltwater intrusion in the dry season.Propagate people to store rainwater and use water economically, absolutely not letting people lack water for daily use.Strictly manage the collection of fresh water, regularly monitor water levels in canals and ditches to regulate and store fresh water for production in the dry season.
In the dry season of 2024, the whole province of Ca Mau had 730 subsidence locations with a total length of more than 19km, including 83 riverside landslide locations with a length of nearly 2.2km.
The cause of landslides and subsidence is not only due to the loss of water counter-pressure on the riverbank but also due to weak geological characteristics, some infrastructure works located near the riverbank, large loads, and deep riverbed.
The natural disaster also damaged 153 houses, flooded 615 hectares of summer-autumn rice, damaged many concrete bridges, electric poles, telecommunication cables, trees, etc. The total property damage caused by natural disasters in Ca Mau is estimated at over 36 billion VND.
