Like the dry locks of Sinh Ton (Sin Cowe), Song Tu Tay (Southwest Cay), and Da Tay (West Reef) islands, the dry lock of Truong Sa Island is seen as a firm fulcrum for the task of marine economic development on Truong Sa archipelago. Stepping off fishing trawlers moored in the dry lock, captain of trawler NT 90228 TS Le Xuan Du received me. Du and crew-members on board come from Phuoc Dinh commune, Thuan Nam district, Ninh Thuan province. He shared that on average the trawler conducts fishing in the open sea for about 16 days, unless the trawler experiences some problems. They often make thorough preparations for the trip; however, things sometimes do not go as planned. In the past, Truong Sa archipelogo did not have any dry locks. When receiving the information about the upcoming storms, fishing trawlers ran back to the shore, resulting in the loss of money and materials. The dry lock is a place for fishing boats to take a rest and receive logistic and technical services. Thanks to … [Read more...] about Happy smiles on dry lock of Truong Sa
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International solidarity in Bambari
For Major Nguyen Van Hien, who is a member of the Bambari Operation Team, and his colleagues, it is the sincere support and sharing of international friends that have motivated them to overcome all difficulties and hardships to complete missions entrusted by the Party, State, and military. Recalling his first days in Bambari, a town in Ouaka of the Central African Republic, Major Hien said that although he had been well-prepared before being deployed to the area, he was still shocked at the harsh weather conditions which is filled with red soil and gravels. Dozens of families live in small cottages. On the way to the central area of Ouaka, he did not see any sign of medical, education, electricity, and water systems. Everything was far beyond the imagination of the Vietnamese blue beret soldier. Difficulties piled up when food and necessities transported by air from Vietnam could not reach the Central African Republic due to the complicated security situation. Meanwhile, local food … [Read more...] about International solidarity in Bambari
Top-to-bottom changes needed to save Mekong Delta from erosion
The 78-year-old farmer’s "used-to" means around 10 years ago. "The river was healthy and gentle, now it’s like a starving person who keeps eating into the bank." Erosion has occurred regularly along both the Hau and the Tien rivers, two tributaries of the Mekong, and many smaller river branches in the Mekong Delta. A report by the World Wide Fund for Nature in Vietnam and the Department of Natural Disasters Prevention at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that by the end of 2021, the Mekong Delta had 621 major erosion areas that stretched for a total of around 610 km. Around 500 ha of land in the delta is lost to erosion every year, the report estimated. Erosion in the delta is not new, it’s just getting more serious. While climate change can be blamed as a natural cause, there are many man-made causes, from the construction of hydropower dams upstream along the Mekong, to the destruction of mangrove forests and sand mining. Nearly 40 million tons of … [Read more...] about Top-to-bottom changes needed to save Mekong Delta from erosion