Since October, Ha Giang province has spent more than VND100 million on transporting water from low-lying areas to its mountain districts where local people have been coping with a lack of both daily water and water for farming.

Meanwhile, Bac Kan province is shifting to the cultivation of short-term food crops as they need just a reasonable source of water in the context of serious shortage of water.

Without rains for months, Lang Son province has lost a large amount of grass food source for livestock and is also facing potential risks of forest fire.

In Lao Cai province, local people in such mountain districts as Muong Khuong and Si Ma Cai have taken water dripping from cliffs and mountain creeks for daily use.

While tackling droughts, those provinces are taking moves to protect their livestock and crops against cold spell, which made the temperature down to below 5 degrees Celsius in some places.

Bac Can province, for example, has instructed livestock breeders to store raw feed for about 120,000 buffaloes and cows.

Provincial authorities have joined efforts of agricultural officials to guide local people on effective measures to keep their livestock and crops safely during the cold spell.