Erosion in Châu Thành District, Bến Tre Province – VNA/VNS Photo

BẾN TRE – The southern Bến Tre Province is building two embankments to prevent erosion of riverbanks and coasts in Châu Thành and Ba Tri districts.

They include the Giao Hoà Riverbank Erosion Prevention Project in Châu Thành and the Coastal Erosion Prevention Project in Ba Tri at a cost of VNĐ300 billion (US$11.8 million) funded by the Government's contingency fund.

Nguyễn Văn Điền, director of the Project Management Board for Investment in Agricultural and Rural Development in Bến Tre Province, said the Giao Hoà project includes the construction of an embankment running 472m, repairs and enhancement of embankment crests and railings totalling over 1,161m in length, and improvements to the embankment under the An Hóa Bridge.

They will cost VNĐ105 billion, and over 52 per cent of the work is complete.

It will help prevent erosion directly affecting residential areas and agricultural lands, impacting 300 households.

It involves the immediate relocation of 26 households.

The work is expected to be completed by August.

According to the Project Management Board for Investment in Agricultural and Rural Development in Bến Tre, the coastal erosion prevention project in Ba Tri will span 2.3km.

It is divided into two embankment sections and will cost VNĐ210 billion.

Around 50 per cent of the work is complete.

It aims to prevent coastal erosion and land loss due to the impact of climate change and rising sea levels, enabling sustainable and long-term production development in local areas.

It is expected to be completed in October.

According to the Bến Tre Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the past decade riverine and coastal erosion has become increasingly unpredictable and been causing significant loss of agricultural land and protective forests, and affecting the livelihoods of locals, especially in the coastal districts of Ba Tri, Thạnh Phú and Bình Đại.

The province currently has 112 erosion-prone locations totalling a length of 134km.

Riverbank erosion threatens 104 spots stretching approximately 115km, affecting houses and agricultural lands belonging to 700 households.

Coastal erosion threatens the other eight locations stretching 19km leading to the loss of 200ha of farmlands and 54ha of protective forests.

Beside, among these locations, there are 13km of riverbanks and 8,5km of coastline are severely affected by erosion more than others.

These include the coasts of Ba Tri, Bình Đại and Thạnh Phú, and the riverbanks of Mỏ Cày and areas like Tam Hiệp, Bình Đạ and Phú Đa.

They require urgent protection, at a cost exceeding VNĐ1,000 billion. – VNS