A meeting between the  mission and local stakeholders in Cà Mau province

Responding to the call from the Steering Committee and under the Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership framework (DRRP), the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority closely coordinated with international organizations to conduct a field mission to affected provinces to gather information on current drought and saltwater intrusion, including Kien Giang, Ca Mau, Tra Vinh and Ben Tre provinces during 15-17 January 2020.

Joining the mission are experts from UNICEF, UNDP, UNWOMEN, FAO, SAVE CHILDREN, CRS, etc. In surveyed provinces, the Mission had meetings with the Standing Office of Provincial the Commanding Committees for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue, relevant provincial departments and agencies to collect information on current saltwater intrusion and responses of local authorities and people. Field surveys were taken to schools, health clinics, saltwater intrusion prevention works. Direct interviews with households in the communes expected to be severely affected by drought and saltwater intrusion were also conducted.

Meeting with Nam Thái A Commune People’s Committee (Kiên Giang)

Checking quality of household based domestic water in Nam Thái A  Commune (Kiên Giang)

Interview to near-poor households in  Khánh Bình Đông commune (Cà Mau)

Survey to commune health clinic of Đa Lộc commune (Trà Vinh)

The findings and results of the Mission will provide inputs to researches and solutions that will be conducted and implemented by international organizations in a joint effort to support people and authorities in the Mekong delta to effectively respond with droughts and saltwater intrusion which are forecast to be more severe than the historic drought and saltwater intrusion during 2015-2016.