The delta’s sand mining industry caters to the region’s construction needs which has expanded in due to rapid urbanisation. Numerous sand mining barges dot the Mekong mid-river and along its banks.

Sand mining in the Mekong is happening far more than officially reported — meaning the damage is far worse. More sustainable options are available. Zoom in on a satellite map of the Mekong River ...

When I visited the site in 2013, the riverbanks upstream were already punctuated with mines supplying sand ... the Mekong system—which extends beyond the river itself. The boats that fish ...