Local people in a village in Ha Tinh Province are facing serious coastal erosion due to the dredging activities at the Vung Ang Port under construction nearby.
Tree roots shown after beach erosion
A row of casuarina trees to prevent beach erosion are disappearing in Ky Loi Commune area, Ky Anh District. The sand has given way so much that the trees roots are showing and the houses nearby have suffered multiple cracks in their walls. The locals are afraid that everything might be swept away by a violent storm.
House fell apart
In late 2009, the Vung Ang Port project was approved and in 2011, Vung Ang No. 1 Thermal Electric Power Plant also received the go-ahead for construction in the Vung Ang Economic Zone.
In order to build a harbour bridge, tens of households in Hai Phong Village are supposed to be compensated and will move to another place. "I know I'll leave sooner or later. But this place is my hometown and I feel hurt with every grain of sand that disappears into the ocean." a local said.
The wave swept both sand and garbage to the sea
The villagers claimed that such serious coastal erosion is caused by the dredging for construction of shipping lanes to Vung Ang Port and Vung Ang No.1 Power Plant. "Anyone can clearly see that the dredging has caused erosion here. The more they dredge, the quicker the sand collapse into the sea." Tuan, another local said, while pointing at the dredgers.
Le Xuan Vuong, Chairman of Ky Loi Commune People's Committee said the erosion started around 2009 and became more severe in early 2013, when the thermal power plant project started to dredge 40 hectares of the sea bottom.
The dredging activities near the coastal area
Vuong said they have sent many documents to the district, provincial authorities along with the investors. They also proposed to build a dyke that connects Vung Ang Port with Vung Ang No.1 Power Plant.
"The provincial authorities said it'll take hundreds of billions of VND to build the dyke. This number is well beyond their means." he said. "If a storm with a steady wind speed of 62-88km per hour occurs, it will seriously threaten 17 households that are still living in this dangerous area."
According to Vuong, the commune will evacuate the people if and when such a storm comes.