Flood season coming late, drought may hit Mekong Delta again next year
This year’s flood season in the Mekong Delta is likely to arrive late and if there is insufficient rain in the months to come, drought and saltwater intrusion may plague the region again during the next dry season, experts have said.
Nguyen Huu Thien, an expert on the Mekong Delta’s ecology, noted that rain in the Vientiane and Pakse regions of Laos will decide the scale of flooding in the Delta. Based on data recorded so far, he said that this year’s floods will come later than the average and are unlikely in August. Whether they come in September or later will depend on if the La Nina weather pattern, which triggers much rain, is in place.
