Khon Kaen Province is currently grappling with a severe drought crisis, putting rice fields at risk due to a prolonged lack of rainfall. Farmers in Nong Ruea district are witnessing dwindling water levels in their fields, causing rice plants to suffer from water scarcity and leading to withering and potential crop loss.
Without significant rainfall within the next week, officials said the entire crop yield could be in jeopardy.
The district chief of Nong Ruea attributes this year’s particularly severe drought situation to the El Niño phenomenon. Water shortages have already impacted rice fields in various areas, while local streams and tributaries have dried up due to the persistent rainfall deficit. To combat this, farmers have resorted to pumping water to sustain their crops.
Local authorities have initiated the construction of soil cement weirs along major canals to store rainwater reserves for immediate use and future drought mitigation. In response to the crisis, the Khon Kaen governor has convened a meeting of local government heads to closely monitor the drought situation.
Currently, the Ubonrat Dam stores only 36% of its total capacity at approximately 870 million cubic meters of water, significantly lower than the previous year. The meteorological department predicts only 18 days of rainfall throughout September. With the El Niño phenomenon expected to persist until mid-2024, the lack of water replenishment in the dams and reservoirs could have severe consequences for the general public. All districts have been instructed to expedite the construction of soil-cement weirs as a critical measure to mitigate the drought crisis. (NNT)
