ASSESSING THE METEOROLOGICAL DROUGHT LEVEL IN THAI NGUYEN PROVINCE

The study aims to assess the degree of drought in Thai Nguyen province by using two indices including (i) the K drought index, and (ii) the Sazonov drought index (Sa.I). According to the value of Kn, the north of the province is sufficiently moist, while the plain region (the center and the south of the province) is dry (Kn= 2.6). The Sa.I index is used to assess the evolution of the drought levels in the region in the period 1961 - 2020. Drought tends to increase throughout the region. The value of Sa.I index fluctuates from -4 to 3 with the year frequency of drought occurrence accounting for 27.5%, of which 12.5% is severe. The assessment results on the degree of meteorological drought in Thai Nguyen province are the scientific basis for the arrangement and restructuring of the crop in agricultural production and making important contributions to the prevention and mitigation of drought natural disasters.