Almost 200 fish centres in Thailand closed due to strong drought
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These fishing centres had to stop operating because water levels declined and salinity increased in Thai rivers as a result of the natural disaster, MThai news website reported.
Government authorities are taking drastic action to avoid further damage to the industry.
One of the measures taken includes pumping water from the Mekong River into its own waterways, which has sparked concern from downstream countries such as Vietnam, where the worst drought in almost a century is taking place.
Agriculture has also been severely affected, and there are genuine fears that taps could run dry within a matter of weeks. Several major reservoirs in the country are below 50 per cent of their water capacity.
Meanwhile, as El Niño continues to weaken, it is hoped that the monsoon rains will be prompt and plentiful. They are due to take place in June.
In addition, authorities are watching out for high tide during April 11-14, when more water will be released downstream to push back sea water so it will not affect the source of raw water for tap water in some of the most affected areas. ■