Currently, the volume of flow on riverbanks of the Central and Central Highlands regions is 40-80 percent lower than average of the same period of many years, even drop down over 80 percent on Ca River (Nghe An Province) and Ba River (Phu Yen Province), etc.
Medium and large-sized hydropower reservoirs in the North Central region have also suffered from a water shortage by 17-25 percent while lakes in the Mid-Central, South Central and Central Highlands regions have braced for water shortage of 10-66 percent.
The ENSO phenomenon would become warm-phase neutral condition in the first haft of the year and is able to last until the second haft of this year.
The average temperature of the whole country is likely to be higher than the average of the same period of many years between 0.5-1.5 degrees Celsius.
The total rainfalls of the whole country in general and the Central region in particular in the following months are forecast to reduce over the average of many years’ same period.
Saline intrusion into river mouths of the Central region will occur earlier and intrude deeper; specifically, from March to May, drought and lack of water are likely to hit the provinces of Thanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, the Central Highland and the Southeastern region.
From June to August, drought, water shortage and saline intrusion are expected to be getting more and more serious than the dry season of 2019.
