Floodwaters receding in upper reaches of Mekong River

Floodwaters are beginning to recede in the upper reaches of Long Xuyen Quadrangular and Dong Thap Muoi in the Mekong Delta, reported the National Hydro Meteorological Forecasting Center Tuesday.

 Water levels have receded from the danger mark of level 3 to 4.3m at the Tan Chau Station on Tien River and 3.9m at the Chau Doc Station on Hau River.

Floodwaters will continue to recede for the next five days. By Friday they are expected to go down to 4.05m at Tan Chau, 3.65m at Chau Doc and 2.6m at Moc Hoa Stations.

However, high tide in the lower reaches of the Mekong Delta has raised flood levels, affecting parts of the southern region.

Several dyke sections have burst, unleashing floodwaters and inundating thousands of hectares of vegetable crops and seafood farm areas in Cu Lao Dung, Ke Sach, Vinh Chau and Tran De Districts of Soc Trang Province. Damage to agro and aqua production is estimated to reach VND52 billion (US$2.5 million).

Tien Giang Province has so far reported two person dead, one a five year old child. 34 schools have shut due to flooding. The province will face a total loss of VND20 billion ($952,000) in agriculture and seafood farming.

High tide has caused landslides on 60 dyke routes in Tra Vinh Province. About 600 hectares of sugar cane and hundreds of hectares of vegetable crops have been flooded in Tra Cu District. A 1,900m dyke stretch has collapsed in Duyen Hai District.