Worsening weather over the past week has brought rough seas and high tides to the coast of Duc Loi Village in Long Phung Commune, causing severe erosion near the Lo estuary.
The erosion has carved an arc-shaped section into the beach, with waves continuing to batter the shoreline. The affected area is now about 30 metres from a casuarina forest and a concrete road, with hundreds of homes located nearby.
Local resident Truong Quang Trung said the erosion began three days ago, with waves cutting into the shoreline and washing away large amounts of sand.
He said the beach had developed steep, undercut sections that could worsen if rough seas continued.
“Erosion usually occurs around the ninth or 10th lunar month, but this year it has started in early August, even before any typhoon has arrived. That is making residents very worried,” Trung said.
Another resident, Nguyen Hai, said the roughly two-kilometre coastline from the Lo estuary to Duc Lam Pagoda is frequently hit by high tides. Severe erosion in 2025 damaged a concrete road and threatened nearby homes.
According to Nguyen Thanh Tuan, vice chairman of Long Phung Commune People's Committee, the Duc Loi coastline regularly suffers erosion during the rainy and typhoon season.
In late 2025, severe erosion damaged more than 100 metres of the coastal concrete road as high tides pushed further inland.
Tuan said a seawall of about 1.2 kilometres would be needed to protect roads and homes, but preliminary estimates put the cost at around VND 200 billion.
Local authorities have sought provincial funding for the project, but construction has yet to begin due to the high cost.