Hoi An’s Cua Dai Beach might be wiped out completely in the near future if nothing is done to combat further erosion.
As Dan Tri reports, authorities in Quang Nam Province recently submitted a request to the central government for VND700 billion (US$30.2 million) to carry out measures to protect Cua Dai from further coastal erosion. The beach is located north of the mouth of the Thu Bon River outside of Hoi An.
Since 2014, strong waves and frequent typhoons have shaved off meters of the coast, damaging seaside structures and chasing tourists away. Chairman of the Quang Nam People’s Committee Dinh Van Thu shared that the erosion has hurt the local economy, as tourism has been seriously affected.
Thus far, Hoi An officials have attempted to fortify the beach by building dikes made of sandbags, but the situation hasn’t improved due to frequent tropical storms in 2018. Province administrators have also met with Dutch experts, the news source shares, who suggested constructing artificial islands off the coast to shield the area from strong waves and winds.
Some experts suggested that a reduction in sediment supplied by the Thu Bon River is the most prominent cause for erosion. This dearth of sediment is further attributed to development projects that modify the natural environment along the waterway, such as reservoirs, sand extraction and river realignment.
[Photo by Coast Vietnam]
