The erosion has damaged many structures belonging to local businesses and residents. A newly formed erosion point along Hoi An coast was seen in early November when waves destroyed a bar measuring several hundred square meters at a tourist site on Lac Long Quan Street.
The sea has cut deep into the shore, causing the structure's foundation to collapse. Staff at this tourist area confirmed the bar previously sat approximately 40–50 meters from the water's edge.
What's left of a beach-front bar on Lac Long Quan Street.
From Oct. 23 to Nov. 3, total rainfall in central Vietnam reached 500–800 mm, with some areas exceeding 1,000 mm. In Hue and Da Nang (home to Hoi An), rainfall surpassed 1,500 mm.
These extreme downpours caused river water levels in Hue, Da Nang, and Quang Ngai to repeatedly surpass historic flood records.
The disaster resulted in 32 deaths, four missing people, and 43 injuries. Over 130,000 houses were flooded, with 91 submerged and 181 damaged. Additionally, hundreds of landslides occurred along major roads, causing widespread traffic disruptions and isolating many communities.
Along the beach from An Bang to Cua Dai in Hoi An, erosion continues to threaten numerous restaurants and accommodation facilities. Strong waves have carved 6–7 meter-high vertical cliffs behind rows of businesses on Nguyen Phan Vinh Street, with new erosion spots appearing rapidly in both An Bang and Cua Dai areas.
After multiple failed attempts to stop the erosion, Nguyen Thi Loan, 43, finally fortified her house, which used to be a tourist souvenir and food shop, with stone-filled gabions.
Loan shared that during this latest episode, tens of meters of sand surrounding the property were completely washed away. Her stone-reinforced house, however, remained intact and now appears from above like an anchor jutting out toward the sea.
Some local households have adopted the same method, spending their own money to buy stones or build concrete embankments in an attempt to reinforce the beach.
In recent days, many businesses and households have received military assistance to patch the eroded beach using sandbags. This effort aims to stabilize the shoreline while residents await more comprehensive government measures.
Residents of Tan Thanh Beach have submitted petitions to Da Nang authorities, urging swift action to save the coastline and calling for the deployment of experienced experts and modern technologies to address the severe erosion more effectively.
Authorities have placed numerous warning signs around erosion zones, prohibiting swimming to keep residents and tourists away from dangerous areas. Meanwhile, a major government effort is underway: in early 2025, Quang Nam Province (now part of Da Nang) began construction on a VND982 billion (US$37.26 million) coastal erosion prevention project for Hoi An.
Funded by French Development Agency loans, EU grants, and local budget, the project involves building submerged breakwaters 250 meters offshore and replenishing sand, with completion expected in 2026. However, residents argue that because the project is still incomplete, recent storms have altered water currents, worsening erosion in surrounding areas.
