The Forest Protection Department on May 4 issued high forest fire riskwarnings for 12 localities which have dried out due to lingering heatwaves and drought.

Son La, Dak Lak, Khanh Hoa, NinhThuan, Binh Thuan, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Dong Nai, Long An, and Ca Mauprovinces were deemed most susceptible to forest fires.

Meanwhile, the second highest level of forest fire risk was issued forthe capital city of Hanoi and Phu Tho and Gia Lai provinces.

The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting recorded heatranging 35 – 38 degrees Celsius in the northwest and central regions onMay 4. Notably, a high of 38.3 degrees was reported in Yen Chaudistrict (northwest Son La), 38.9 degrees in Tuong Duong district(central Nghe An province), and 38.5 degrees in Son Hoa district(central Phu Yen province).

Ho Chi Minh Cityresidents are also sweltering in the midst of an intense heat wave withtemperatures reaching as high as 40 degrees.

TheVietnam Red Cross has decided to provide emergency relief to poorhouseholds in four drought-hit provinces of Ninh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, DakLak and Phu Yen. The aid package, worth more than 1.1 billion VND,includes 900 water tanks and 2,700 packs of water purification tablets.

Prolonged drought in central Binh Thuan provincehas dried out irrigation reservoirs such as Ta Mon, Song Phan and TraTan and lakes like Da Bac, Ca Giay and Song Khan which are the mainwater supply systems for local agricultural activities and daily use.

The provincial Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment estimates the current water levels at irrigation facilitiesto be 23 million cubic metres, only 14.11 percent of the total designedcapacity.-VNA