Dhung Tien Lake has become dried

Locals have to often visit Dhung Tien Lake in Cu Pong Commune, Krong Buk District as they hunt for water.

Y Lut Nie, a local resident, said that nearly one hectare of his family’s coffee has not been watered for over a month. Nie and other people had to hire a drill to extract underground water. But this provides only a few cubic metres of water on a daily basis.

The coffee is the main source of living for Nie’s family. If the drought continues, the plants would die.

Y Ach Nie’s coffee garden faces the same situation. However, his family can’t afford to hire a drill.

The water shortage has been also reported in Buon Don and EA Sup districts. Many households there have had to destroy their crops because there is just no water for them.

According to Ngo Van Hoa in Ea Huar Commune in Buon Don District, he had to remove two hectares of jackfruit and plum trees.

Hoa said that the major water source for the commune is Ba Tu Stream which has been dried since early May. Meanwhile, five family wells have also run out of water. Hoa’s family has lost around VND300 million and it would take them at least five years to plant new orchards.

Hoa had to remove two hectares of jackfruit and plum trees.

Tran Thi Thuy, deputy head of Buon Don District’s Agricultural and Rural Development Board said that up to 60 hectares of crops in the locality had been hit by long droughts with 70% of these facing high risk of never recovering. Ea Huar Commune has been most affected.

Luc Van Cuong’s family in Ea Sup District has lived on water supply by his neighbours over the past two months.

At present, around 2,500 households in Dak Lak Province are in dire need of water, particularly in the districts of Ea Sup, Cu Mgar and Krong Buk.

A local military unit has partially provided water for some areas in Ea Sup District.

The provincial Department of Agricultural and Rural Development reported that by mid-April this year, around 60 local lakes have completely dried out, while other 100 others have almost run out of water.

The water shortage is attributed to long droughts and high demand for irrigation. Nearly 4,626 hectares of crops in the province are facing a lack of water.

Tien Phong/Dtinews