11-11-2010, 03:50 PM
Damn those dams
Published: 22/02/2010
Ever since the completion of a few dams across the Mekong river in China, the once mighty river, which flows through all the riparian countries except China, has diminished to a trickle every dry season. The situation this year is worse than the previous years and the worst is yet to come with more dams being built. If they were alive today, our forefathers would be in shock. The mighty Mekong - the traditional lifeline of Chinese, Burmese, Thais, Lao, Cambodians and Vietnamese - has dried up so badly this year that it no longer qualifies to be called a river.
Boat travel from Chiang Rai’s Chiang Khong district to the old Lao capital of Luang Prabang, a popular tourist route has been halted because the water too shallow for boats with the capacity to accommodate more than four people. Cargo boats from China have been stranded in Chiang Saen district of Chiang Rai.
Chirasak Inthayos, coordinator of the Network for the Conservation of Mekong River Natural Resources and Cultures, said that the river's condition is the worst for more than a decade. He could only imagine how much worse it will be by April, when the dry season normally peaks.
This drying up of the Mekong River is attributable to the closure of four Chinese dams in the upper reaches of the river reportedly to conserve water for electricity generation. The southern Chinese province of Yunnan, which borders Bumr and Laos, is reported to be experiencing the worst drought in more than 60 years.
February is a part of the dry season in Laos. The Mekong is at its lowest in the history.
PINGU: sungai mekong pun boleh kering akibat masalah alam.. sangat menggerunkan.. dunia kta makin tua dan nazak... pertambahan penduduk dunia sudah tidak lagi mampu ditanggung oleh bumi..
Published: 22/02/2010
Ever since the completion of a few dams across the Mekong river in China, the once mighty river, which flows through all the riparian countries except China, has diminished to a trickle every dry season. The situation this year is worse than the previous years and the worst is yet to come with more dams being built. If they were alive today, our forefathers would be in shock. The mighty Mekong - the traditional lifeline of Chinese, Burmese, Thais, Lao, Cambodians and Vietnamese - has dried up so badly this year that it no longer qualifies to be called a river.
Boat travel from Chiang Rai’s Chiang Khong district to the old Lao capital of Luang Prabang, a popular tourist route has been halted because the water too shallow for boats with the capacity to accommodate more than four people. Cargo boats from China have been stranded in Chiang Saen district of Chiang Rai.
Chirasak Inthayos, coordinator of the Network for the Conservation of Mekong River Natural Resources and Cultures, said that the river's condition is the worst for more than a decade. He could only imagine how much worse it will be by April, when the dry season normally peaks.
This drying up of the Mekong River is attributable to the closure of four Chinese dams in the upper reaches of the river reportedly to conserve water for electricity generation. The southern Chinese province of Yunnan, which borders Bumr and Laos, is reported to be experiencing the worst drought in more than 60 years.
February is a part of the dry season in Laos. The Mekong is at its lowest in the history.
PINGU: sungai mekong pun boleh kering akibat masalah alam.. sangat menggerunkan.. dunia kta makin tua dan nazak... pertambahan penduduk dunia sudah tidak lagi mampu ditanggung oleh bumi..
