VietNamNet Bridge - The long strip of beaches with high-end resorts along Cua Dai Beach area in the ancient city of Hoi An is at risk because of soil erosion.


 

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Hoi An residents are worried that Cua Dai Beach may disappear one day if no solution is found to rescue it. 

A representative of the Hoi An Chamber of Commerce and Tourism said the landslide last year only occurred in the area near the estuary, but the land erosion now can be seen in the northern part as well, where there are public beaches and restaurants.

“I am afraid Cua Dai will no longer resist the land erosion,” he said.

Of the eight kilometers of coastline going through the ancient town of Hoi An, serious landslides have been seen on a strip of 3 kilometers along with sea encroachment on the land by 10-15 meters.

There are five 5-star resorts in the area, including 3 that are operational and two others which have stopped operation. Of the three, two – Victoria Hoi An and Golden Sand Hoi An, have existed for a long time. The third one, Sunrise Hoi An, was established several years ago.

Not only investors, but the local authorities have also suffered constant anxiety about the fate of Cua Dai Beach, a beautiful landscape that attracts tourists.

Scientists believe that the cause of the landslide at Cua Dai Beach is the reduction in the volume of mud and sand sediment from the river system.

They also think that the problem lies in the water reservoirs situated on the upper course of the big rivers which have affected the current. Meanwhile, sand exploitation for building materials has made the situation more serious.

Dutch scientists have suggested using soft embankment technology to protect the beauty of the beach. With the solution, once applied in the Netherlands, many millions of cubic meters of sand  will be carried to the beach to ‘feed’ it.

Regarding the cost, they said it would cost about 6 million euros for the 5-year solution, while the 20-year solution will need 40 million euros.

However, both the Quang Nam provincial authorities and investors think this is just a temporary solution. Meanwhile, the province needs a long-term solution which would settle the problem.

A local authority official said big money has been spent to fight land erosion, but the effects remain modest. 

A senior executive of Sunrise Hoi An said the investor has spent hundreds of billions of dong to fix the problems or the resort would drift into the sea. 

“What we need now is a solution which stops landslides effectively, and not harm nearby areas and not interfere with the current,” he said.

TBKTSG