VIETNAM SUFFERING SEVERE DROUGHT IN SOME AREAS

UNCLAS HANOI 000857 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV USDOC FOR 4430/MAC/ASIA/OPB/VLC/HPPHO STATE FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA KISAACS, GGOTTIEB STATE FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA MMARX, RTHAYER, BDEEMER STATE FOR USAID/DCHA DAA WILLIAM GARVELINK BANGKOK FOR USAID/OFDA SENIOR REGIONAL ADVISOR TOM DOLAN KATHMANDU FOR OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR WILLIAM BERGER GENEVA FOR USAID NANCE KYLOH USDA FOR FAS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR EAID ECON ENRG VM SUBJECT: VIETNAM SUFFERING SEVERE DROUGHT IN SOME AREAS REF: A) HANOI 773, B) HCMC 0307, C) 04 HCMC 1493 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The South Central and Central Highland regions of Vietnam are experiencing a severe drought. According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD),an estimated 1.12 million people are facing daily water shortages and more than 500,000 people are suffering from hunger due to the drought. While the Government of Vietnam (GVN) has not officially requested international assistance, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been invited by provincial counterpart agencies to mobilize emergency relief assistance to drought-stricken areas. Forecasts in April call for continued lack of rainfall and high temperatures (as high as 40 degrees Celsius). Although the rainy season in the Central Highlands usually starts in May, the rainy season in the Coastal Central provinces normally does not start until September. Mission Vietnam is monitoring the situation carefully and stands ready to provide further updates and to seek possible emergency disaster assistance, should the conditions deteriorate further. End Summary. ¶2. (U) The South Central and Central Highland regions of Vietnam are experiencing a severe drought. According to MARD, an estimated 1.12 million people are facing daily water shortages and more than 500,000 people are suffering from hunger due to the current severe drought. MARD estimates that damages to agriculture and livestock in the five Central Highlands provinces are about USD 113 million so far. According to Dak Lak Provincial Department of Planning and Investment officials, the province's coffee industry has lost at least half of its coffee crop this season with an estimated value of USD 38 million. Unconfirmed news reports indicate that Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan Provinces are the most affected in the South Central region with estimated USD 8 million each in damages. Save the Children estimates that in Ninh Thuan Province, irrigation systems are currently at only 25 to 40 percent of water capacity, planted areas have been reduced more than half and livestock counts are down dramatically. ¶3. (U) In addition to hunger and lack of water, secondary impacts of the drought reportedly include saltwater intrusion in lowland coastal areas of the Mekong Delta and a heightened risk of forest fires. Several Mekong Delta provinces including Bac Lieu, Ben Tre, Ca Mau, Hau Giang, Kien Giang, Long An, Soc Trang and Tra Vinh have experienced seawater encroachment into fields 20-50 kilometers inland. Seawater has also contaminated household drinking wells. The drought has also affected Vietnam's power industry, especially hydropower plants, which may result in electricity shortages in the near future (Ref A). There is no relief in the immediate future. Relief may come sooner in the Central Highlands where the rainy season usually starts in May than in the Coastal Central provinces where the rains come in September. ¶4. (U) According to the American Red Cross (ARC),the Prime Minister has allocated USD 700,000 for disaster relief efforts. Unconfirmed news reports, however, indicate that the government will provide USD 6.3 million for drought relief efforts to agencies in Binh Thuan, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, Kon Tum, Lam Dong, Ninh Thuan and Phu Yen provinces of central and south-central Vietnam. The ARC has confirmed that the Prime Minister's office has also mobilized a donation of rice to aid drought-stricken communities. Reportedly, the amount is 15,000 tons. ¶5. (U) Many provinces plan to use government funds to dig new wells and improve existing irrigation networks in drought-stricken areas. In Dak Lak Province, over 500 reservoirs have reportedly dried up and local authorities will reportedly spend USD 1.0 million of provincial funds to support construction of new wells and supply potable water to drought-stricken communities, according to ARC officials. ¶6. (SBU) While the Government of Vietnam (GVN) has not officially requested international assistance, non- governmental organizations (NGOs) have been invited by provincial authorities to mobilize emergency relief assistance to drought-stricken areas. An NGO disaster mitigation working group led by Oxfam Great Britain recently conducted a field mission and is preparing a needs assessment report. Counterpart International is mobilizing emergency food assistance to the Central Highlands area. The ARC has expressed "concern" over the drought situation and is coordinating a response with its local partners. ARC officials expect that the drought situation "will escalate over time" and have begun comparing this year to the destructive drought in 1998. Although the United Nations (UN) has not yet provided financial assistance to the GVN, the UN remains concerned and has requested a Donor's Meeting with MARD this week, which MARD has now confirmed for April ¶15. ¶7. (SBU) COMMENT: While the drought is caused by hydro- meteorological conditions, and is bad in both regions, its impact in the Central Highland provinces of Vietnam is amplified by increasing population pressures, conversion of primary forest to commercial (i.e. coffee plantations),and subsistence agriculture, as well as increasing dependence on water for irrigation and electricity generation over the past decade. There is no sense of panic yet among local officials, but a humanitarian crisis is a real possibility should the drought continue in the coming months. With weather forecasts calling for continued lack of rainfall and high temperatures (as high as 40 decrees Celsius),Post is monitoring the situation carefully and stands ready to provide further updates and to seek possible emergency disaster assistance, should conditions deteriorate further. MARINE NNNN