Vietnam Mekong Delta (VMD), the country’s most important food basket, is constantly threatened by drought-infused salinity intrusion (SI). The SI disaster of 2020 is recognized as the worst in recent decades, hence inspiring this perspective article. The authors’ viewpoints on the disaster’s impacts and causes are presented. The arguments presented are mainly drawn from (i) up-to-date publications that report on the recent SI intensification in the VMD and (ii) the power spectral analysis results using water level data. We verified the intensifying SI in the VMD both in its frequency and magnitude and remarked on four of the key SI drivers: (i) upstream hydropower dams, (ii) land subsidence, (iii) the relative sea-level rise, and (iv) riverbed sand mining. Also, a non-exhaustive yet list of recommendable management implications to mitigate the negative effects of the SI is contributed. The mitigation measures must be realized at multiple scales, ranging from pursuing transboundary water diplomacy efforts to managing internal pressures via developing early warnings, restricting illegal sand mining activities, alleviating pressures on groundwater resources, and diversifying agriculture.

越南湄公河三角洲 (VMD) 是该国最重要的食物篮子，不断受到干旱引起的盐度入侵 (SI) 的威胁。2020 年的 SI 灾难被认为是近几十年来最严重的灾难，因此启发了这篇观点文章。提出了作者对灾难的影响和原因的看法。提出的论点主要来自 (i) 最新出版物，这些出版物报告了 VMD 中最近的 SI 强化和 (ii) 使用水位数据的功率谱分析结果。我们在频率和幅度上验证了 VMD 中不断增强的 SI，并评论了四个关键的 SI 驱动因素：(i) 上游水电大坝，(ii) 地面沉降，(iii) 相对海平面上升，以及 (iv ) 河床采砂。还，提供了一份非详尽但可推荐的管理影响清单，以减轻 SI 的负面影响。缓解措施必须在多个层面实施，从开展跨界水外交努力到通过预警管理内部压力、限制非法采砂活动、缓解地下水资源压力和实现农业多样化。