Nearly 8,000 households have been moved from flood-prone areas in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta since 2008, under a national programme to build flood-proof residential clusters, representatives said at a project review meeting on Wednesday.

     The programme till 2013 in its second phase intends to build 178 flood-proof residential clusters to rehouse 57,257 families moved from lowlying areas in Can Tho City, Dong Thap, An Giang, Kien Giang, Tien Giang, Vinh Long and Hau Giang provinces.

     So far, Can Tho City and the six provinces have constructed foundations for 138 of the new residential estates and built dykes.

     The groundwork for the remainder of the estates should be completed by the end of this year with infrastructure completed at all of them in 2012.

     An Giang, Dong Thap and Hau Giang provinces have completed land clearance and compensation, according to the programme's Regulation Board.

     Hau Giang Province has nearly completed five housing clusters and the remaining five in the province have been underway.

     Nguyen Thanh Nhon, deputy chairman of the Hau Giang Province People's Committee, said his province had moved 841 households from flood-prone areas to the clusters.

     Nguyen Hong Quan, minister of Construction, ordered the localities to speed up the construction work, so all the families could relocate by the end of next year.

     The second phase, which was approved by the Prime Minister in 2008, has total investment estimated at US$144 million; of which the government would provide half with the rest coming from local provincial budgets and other sources.

     The first phrase from 2001 to 2007 built 1,043 flood-proof residential clusters to accommodate 200,000 households. (VNS)