The Hoi An authorities on March 21 inaugurated an embankment project along part of the Hoai River aiming to protect the UNESCO-recognised old town against erosion.

The embankment will help Hoi An mitigate the impacts of climate change. 

The levee is 780 metres long, running from the iconic Japanese covered bridge to the Cam Nam Bridge.

In addition to the embankment, the project also includes dredging work on the Hoai River, improvements to the pavement, water drainage, lighting, road surface and surrounding landscape.

Work on the project began in November 16 at a total cost of VND135.65 billion (nearly US$6 million), more than half of which was funded by the Support Programme to Respond to Climate Change.

Hoi An Chairman Nguyen Van Dung said the project aims to prevent flooding, protect old architecture and ensure safety for locals and visitors to the world heritage site.

It is also intended to mitigate the impact of climate change and increase the local people’s capacity to adapt to and live with flooding and sea level rises.

According to the United Nations, Hoi An is among 31 world heritage sites that are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

A UN Habitat vulnerability assessment warns that virtually the whole of the An Dinh area, where most of Hoi An’s heritage houses are located, could be could be flooded annually by 2020.

Nhan Dan