Week 10: Extreme Weather

Vietnam’s Battle with Extreme Weather: Rising Threats and Resilient Solutions

With more frequent and severe extreme weather occurrences, Vietnam is among the most climate-vulnerable nations in Southeast Asia. The country's lengthy coastline, thick river deltas, and rugged topography make it a hotspot for natural disasters, from destructive typhoons to heatwaves that break records.

Important Risks of Extreme Weather

A. Typhoons and Flooding Frequency: According to the World Bank (2023), Vietnam experiences 8–10 tropical storms annually, with the strength of these storms increasing as the seas warm.

Effect: Typhoon Molave in 2020 destroyed 90,000 dwellings and killed over 130 people (UNDP, 2021).

Floods in Central Vietnam in 2023: 1.5 million people were displaced (IFRC, 2023).

B. Droughts and Heatwaves
Record Temperatures: The hottest temperature ever recorded in Northern Vietnam was 44°C (111°F) in 2023 (Vietnam Meteorological Agency, 2023).

Mekong Delta Droughts: Every year, more than 500,000 hectares of rice paddies are destroyed by saltwater intrusion (FAO, 2022).

C. Erosion & Landslides
Mountain Risks: Landslides are caused by heavy rains (e.g., in 2020, Quang 22 troops were killed in a landslide (VN Express, 2020).

Cities like Da Nang are at risk due to the 50% erosion of Vietnam's coastline (MONRE, 2021).

What Makes Vietnam So At Risk?

Geography: Low-lying deltas (Mekong and Red River) and a lengthy coastline (+3,260 km).

Urbanization: Flooding is made worse by inadequate drainage in places like Ho Chi Minh City.

Sea levels are rising 3–4 mm annually due to climate change, which is faster than the world average (IPCC, 2023).

Remedy & Mitigation Measures

A. Typhoon Government Action Preparedness: 90% of coastal towns are currently covered by early warning systems (UNDP, 2022).

20,000+ hectares of mangroves were planted as a storm buffer (World Bank, 2023).

B. Resilience of the Community
The Mekong Delta adapts with amphibious architecture to create floating houses.

Heat-Resistant Crops: New rice cultivars can withstand drought and salinity (FAO, 2023).

C. Foreign Support for Japan's Technical Assistance: Hoi An Flood Barriers.

Sustainable agriculture will get €50 million from the EU (EU Climate Delegation, 2023).

Comments

  1. Jadie GApril 11, 2025 at 10:55 PM

    Hi Steezy! Great insights in your post about Vietnam's Extreme Weather. Crazy on how much extreme weather Vietnam faces! I'm happy that there are plenty mitigation measures taking place for those severe weather events.

    ReplyDelete

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