Hue has a coastline stretching about 127 kilometres, supporting fishing, tourism and other livelihoods. However, strong winds, high waves and storms have increasingly threatened coastal communities, particularly in erosion-prone areas.
Ho Van Thin, 61, a fisherman in Quang Cong 1 Village, Phong Quang Ward, said he has had to move his boat to higher ground as rough seas prevent him from fishing.
His home now stands just 20 metres from the shoreline.
Thin noted that an unprotected one-kilometre stretch of coastline near his village has suffered severe erosion, particularly over the past five years, as powerful waves wash away land and bring the sea closer to homes.
Coastal erosion is affecting communities in Phong Quang, Thuan An, Phu Vinh, Vinh Loc and Phu Loc, threatening more than 1,000 households, protective forests and coastal infrastructure.
The damage also threatens fishing and tourism businesses, while forcing residents to spend money protecting their properties and repairing storm damage.
Thuan An Ward is among the worst-hit areas, where coastal erosion has affected around 500 households, including businesses serving tourists.
Hue authorities have allocated VND 260 billion (USD 9.9 million) for an emergency coastal embankment project stretching nearly 1.4 kilometres. Construction began in June 2026 and is scheduled for completion in 2027.
Nguyen Van Tuan, a resident of Thuan An, said strong waves during northeast monsoons, tropical depressions and storms frequently wash into homes and roadside businesses.
Residents hope the new embankment will protect their properties and allow them to continue operating safely.
Riverbank erosion threatens roads and homes
Inland, communities along the Huong, Bo, O Lau, Truoi and other rivers face similar threats when prolonged rainfall and flooding cause riverbanks to collapse.
Several sections of the Huong River, which flows through central Hue, have suffered erosion, particularly in Thuy Xuan, Kim Long and Duong No wards.
Near the Tuan River junction in Thuy Xuan Ward, erosion has advanced towards a road and nearby homes.
Local resident Le Anh Phuong said people were concerned about their safety and wanted authorities to reinforce the riverbank before further storms.
The Bo River has also experienced widespread erosion, particularly in Phuoc Yen Village, Quang Dien Commune.
Quang Dien Commune Chairman Nguyen Anh Cau said the scale of the damage exceeded the locality's financial resources. Local authorities have therefore requested funding from higher levels of government to build protective embankments.
Hue has identified nearly 14 kilometres of severely eroded coastline and almost 74 kilometres of damaged riverbanks.
Authorities estimate that tackling coastal erosion will require around VND 1.9 trillion (USD 72.2 million), while riverbank protection will cost approximately VND 1.7 trillion (USD 64.6 million).
The city plans to prioritise protective infrastructure in vulnerable areas, including 10.7 kilometres of coastal embankments, 20 kilometres of riverbank reinforcement, 31 kilometres of sea dykes and 20 kilometres of inland flood-control embankments.
According to Dang Van Hoa, head of Hue's Irrigation and Climate Change Sub-department, authorities were strengthening monitoring and warnings, deploying personnel to dangerous locations and preparing evacuation plans where necessary.
The city will prioritise investment in the most vulnerable erosion sites to protect residents and their property, he added.
