Disasters

Drought

Dams and droughts, data and diplomacy in the Mekong

As the Mekong Region faces more intense floods and droughts every year, data sharing and water diplomacy are emerging as new narratives for transboundary water governance. “This year, every country in the Lancang-Mekong Region is facing severe floods. But our challenge is now compounded by Covid-19. ...

Rajesh Daniel

Droughts and political risk challenge hydro’s place in energy mixture

The Minister for Mines and Energy is giving nothing away on how hydropower figures in Cambodia’s draft power development plan (PDP). However, he did say the PDP would not turn its back on established power sources, such as coal- and oil-fired power plants because of ...

Michael Firn / Khmer Times

Heavy rainfall eases drought effects in Mekong Delta

Recorded water levels in the Lower Mekong River Basin (LMB) saw significant increases during the last seven days as a result of heavy rainfall and sudden water releases from dams, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) said on July 29. But it said river levels across all ...

UCA News reporter, Vientiane

Against the currents

Through disasters, a fellowship was struck. Ormboon Thipsuna remembers the date well, Aug 12, 2008, when a deluge of water from the Mekong swept through her hometown of Nong Khai and seven riparian northeastern provinces. Considering the rainfall was rather small and the Mekong’s gradual ...

VASANA CHINVARAKORN AND PIYANAN JITJANG

Chinese Dams Unleash Mekong Waters on Laos During ‘Dry’ Season

Chinese dams on the Mekong River have begun releasing water during the river’s normal dry season, causing trouble for wildlife, farmers and fishermen in Laos, sources in the Southeast Asian country told RFA. “The Mekong River water level is up 12 centimeters [4.7 inches] from yesterday,” ...

RFA’s Lao Service. Translated by Max Avary. Written in English by Eugene Whong.

Thailand taps groundwater as it enters hottest season

Facing severe drought as it enters its hottest season, Thailand has launched groundwater extraction operations in its most arid regions to tap sources deep beneath the soil, as it looks at ways to harness future supplies. The groundwater department has sent geologists and more than 80 ...

REUTERS

Mekong Delta braces for drought, salt intrusion

Learning it the hard way from last year’s drought and salinity, Mekong Delta farmers have been preparing their crops for the worst. Early March, Huynh Huu Loc, 62, comes to check the water level in canals around his family’s durian farm, which stretches 1,000 hectares (2,470 ...

Hoang Nam

Mega irrigation system to help Mekong Delta tackle drought, salinity

One of the two parts of a mega irrigation system in southern Vietnam’s Mekong Delta will start operation next month in Kien Giang Province. Construction of the system worth VND3.3 trillion ($142.17 million) started in November 2019, with two parts on the Cai Lon and Cai ...

Cuu Long

A year with historical drought

Looking back over the past year, we cannot help but be surprised when the agricultural sector successfully overcame the most saltwater intrusion and drought event in history in the Mekong Delta with a group of solutions. This result was seriously evaluated at the conference on implementing ...

Vietnam Agriculture Newspaper

Mekong Levels Reportedly Plummet Due to Chinese Dam Activity

Water levels on the Mekong River have fallen due to the filling of a Chinese dam on the upper reaches of the river in Yunnan province, according to locals and river monitors. The fall was reported on January 4, when locals in the Thai port town ...

Sebastian Strangio

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