Vietnam needs VND10 trillion ($625 million) to build and consolidate 518km of sea dikes and river dikes in 13 provinces from the central to southern region if the country doesn’t want to be flooded by sea water when the sea level rises by 1m in the future, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said.
$625 million is equivalent to the total losses caused by typhoon Xangsane in the central region in 2006, and the total investment in vocational training and job creation for youth in the next four years. On average, 1km of dike costs nearly VND12 billion ($750,000).
According to the United Nations, if the sea level rises by 1m, Vietnam will face losses of up to $17 billion a year. Around one-fifth of the population will lose their homes while 12.3% of cultivated land will disappear.
This is the reason that Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat affirmed the urgency of consolidating the current dike system at a workshop on sea dikes in HCM City on March 25. He also asked localities from the central to southern regions to check their dike systems.
Dr. Le Manh Hung, Head of the Southern Institute for Irrigation Sciences, said the sea dike system plays an important role in ensuring the sustainable development of the coastal region. However, many dikes are damaged and unable to prevent natural calamities.
He said damaged dikes must be upgraded first and then incomplete dikes must be completed.
$625 million is equivalent to the total losses caused by typhoon Xangsane in the central region in 2006, and the total investment in vocational training and job creation for youth in the next four years. On average, 1km of dike costs nearly VND12 billion ($750,000).
According to the United Nations, if the sea level rises by 1m, Vietnam will face losses of up to $17 billion a year. Around one-fifth of the population will lose their homes while 12.3% of cultivated land will disappear.
This is the reason that Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat affirmed the urgency of consolidating the current dike system at a workshop on sea dikes in HCM City on March 25. He also asked localities from the central to southern regions to check their dike systems.
Dr. Le Manh Hung, Head of the Southern Institute for Irrigation Sciences, said the sea dike system plays an important role in ensuring the sustainable development of the coastal region. However, many dikes are damaged and unable to prevent natural calamities.
He said damaged dikes must be upgraded first and then incomplete dikes must be completed.
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