The European Union (EU) has decided to provide 60,000 EUR (66,600 USD) in humanitarian aid for the Mekong Delta to help local residents cope with drought and saltwater intrusion.

Providing drinking water to poor people in Ben Tre province
amid drought and saline intrusion (Photo: VNA) 

The aid is expected to benefit 24,000 people in provinces seriously hit by drought and saltwater intrusion.

The funding will be channeled to the Vietnam Red Cross Society to provide clean drinking water for locals, step up activities to improve sanitation and healthcare for families affected by the lack of clean water. Disease prevention campaigns will be implemented regularly to reduce risks of water source-related diseases.

The aid is part of the EU’s contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) under the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

In early 2020, the Mekong Delta, Vietnam’s largest agricultural and aquacultural centre, has been seriously hit by droughts caused by climate change, resulting in the lack of clean water in many localities. The scarcity of water also caused serious saltwater intrusion in 10 out of 13 provinces in the region, with saltwater penetrating 30-40 km inland. The problem has threatened food security and affected livelihoods and daily lives of nearly 700,000 people in the region.