Le Van Khanh, head of An Minh District’s Board of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the long-lasting heat waves have caused water to evaporate, leading to increased salinity levels in crab and prawn ponds. As a result, many locally farmed crabs and shrimp have died.
A sea crab died due to the prolonged drought in Kien Giang
An Minh is home to a total aquaculture area of 47,000 hectares. Roughly 140 hectares of shrimp farming by locals have been ravaged by disease and the hot weather.
Local authorities have provided over seven tonnes of chlorine to help residents control disease outbreaks among shrimp.
People have been advised to maintain a water depth of 40-50 centimetres in their ponds to minimise temperature fluctuations and prevent adverse effects for the shrimp and crabs.
The Mekong Delta region has faced droughts and early saline intrusion, bringing about an acute freshwater shortage for many localities, including Ca Mau, Ben Tre, Soc Trang, Kien Giang and Tien Giang.
According to the Southern Institute of Water Resources Research, the region would face the peak of saline instruction until the end of March.
