Authorities in Hoi An have warned that rising tides will swallow a third of the central tourist town , news website Voice of Vietnam has reported.
Makeshift iron poles erected to break incoming sea waves on Cua Dai Beach in Hoi An
Hundreds of households and hoteliers in Hoi An have suffered continuous attacks by high tides on the Cua Dai embankment this rainy season.
For over the last month, a 300-meter section of beach has been ravaged by waves that uprooted coconut trees and electricity poles.
Tides have gradually swallowed the 3-km Cua Dai Beach; some sections of the beach have been eaten 40 meters into the shore.
The Hoi An Town's People’s Committee, the local government, is calling on local residents and businesses to build makeshift embankments at the eroded beach sections.
It also extracted VND10 billion (US$471,200) for a project to build the Cua Dai embankment, but said the project has run into a lot of difficulties due to rogue waves and strong winds.
The town administration admitted that the project is just a temporary solution to prevent erosion during the rainy seasons.
As Hoi An Town lies on the banks of the Thu Bon River, and faces the sea on one side and the river on the other side, it is hard to prevent erosion.
Nguyen Van Hien, head of the Hoi An Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said the government should take more steps to control the flow of the Thu Bon River and dredge Cua Dai Bay as its shallow entrance retains flood waters longer.
Hoi An Town in the coastal province of Quang Nam, recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site in 1999, is an alluring mix of heritage buildings with a unique blend of local and foreign influences, colorful lanterns, craft villages, beautiful beaches, river cruises, and delicious food
