A project to build a breakwater in Ha Tinh Province has been stagnant for several years due to a lack of capital, facilitating sea water encroachment in Loc Ha District.
Sea water kills plant life
Over the past decade, Loc Ha District has been incurring increasing sea water encroachment.
Statistics from local authorities showed that sea water has encroached anywhere from 300 to 350 metres into the district over the past ten years. The hardest hit localities include Thach Kim, Thach Bang and Thinh Loc Communes.
The sea water encroachment has resulted in significant damages, destroying hundreds of houses, as well as hundreds of hectares of crops, and even infrastructure damage.
Many local residents of this 11 kilometre-long stretch of coastline have been compelled to move because of frequent flooding.
In order to improve the situtation, a working group formed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has completed a study and proposed a VND138 billion (USD6.62 million) project to build a breakwater in the district. This project was approved by the Government in 2009.
However, the slow pace of construction has yet to ease the difficulties of residents.
Dang Dinh Dung, Head of the project’s Management Board, said, “Even though the project needs a total of VND138 billion, we have only VND5 billion (USD239,992). This money is just enough to cover the project\'s design.”
To make the situation worse, increases in the price of building materials have driven up initial estimates, he added.
Ocean water has taken over a 150 metre-wide area in Loc Ha District since 2006
Hundreds of houses destroyed
Roads damaged
Power grid incapacitated
Further damage?
Residents forced to move
