Ensuring housing stability for local communities
During the torrential rains caused by Typhoon Fengshen at the end of October, the home of Dinh Thi Thu Hai’s family in Ngoc Tu Village, Tra Tan Commune, was completely destroyed. Her family temporarily moved in with relatives and received food aid from local authorities during the floods.
Hai explained that once the waters receded, officials convened meetings with households whose homes had been swept away to gather opinions and design support plans for permanent housing. “As my family does not own land, the authorities said they would provide resettlement land and build a new house. We are very glad and grateful,” she said.
“Everywhere in Ngoc Tu Village has landslides. I hope the authorities will soon select a safe site and build the house so that my family can have a stable home and resume our lives,” she added.
Similarly, Nguyen Hong Tam’s house in Ngoc Giac Village, Tra Tan Commune, was completely swept away by floodwaters during the heavy rain on October 28. Tam recalled that as the water rose rapidly, all their belongings were carried away by the fierce currents.
“The local authorities in Tra Tan Commune held a meeting with residents to find new places to live. Although my family already has land and can build immediately, the commune’s functional units still carried out inspections to ensure safety, because everywhere in the village is at risk of landslides,” Tam said.
“I hope the authorities will find a safe place so we can feel secure and continue our livelihoods,” Tam expressed.
Nguyen Hong Lai, Secretary of the Tra Tan Commune Party Committee, reported that during the recent floods, 16 households lost their homes entirely to floodwaters and landslides, while 47 households suffered damage of less than 70%. Most of these families belong to the Ca Dong ethnic minority, whose living conditions remain very difficult.
Local authorities will immediately provide 40 million VND per household to help families rebuild. They are also calling on organisations, businesses, and philanthropists to contribute additional funds to support the construction of solid houses.
Leaders of Tra Tan Commune held a meeting with affected households during which participants unanimously agreed to contract a construction unit to rebuild homes for the 16 families. The location, design plan, and accessibility — particularly in ensuring long-term stability and safety from natural disasters — will be carefully considered by the authorities.
“All work will be carried out urgently to help residents stabilise their lives as soon as possible, but safety and cultural suitability remain the top priorities,” said Secretary Nguyen Hong Lai.
During the recent floods, 16 households lost their homes entirely to floodwaters and landslides, while 47 households suffered damage of less than 70%
In A Vuong Commune, 39 houses were buried by landslides, with 11 suffering over 70% damage from huge rocks sliding down from three mountain peaks. Thanks to early detection and timely relocations by the local authorities, no casualties occurred, though homes and property were completely destroyed.
Mac Nhu Phuong, Secretary of the A Vuong Commune Party Committee, noted that the rainy season is currently at its peak, and finding flat land for resettlement is particularly challenging in mountainous areas with steep slopes.
“We are focusing on reviewing and relocating households in vulnerable landslide-prone areas to ensure the safety of residents. After the rainy season, the local authorities will propose to the city to supplement planning and establish resettlement areas,” Phuong said.
“Besides financial support from central and local budgets, we are actively calling for contributions from philanthropists to rebuild houses for the people,” Phuong added.
Stabilising residents’ livelihoods
According to a report from the People’s Committee of Da Nang City, the recent floods destroyed more than 80 houses, including 66 that were completely swept away, and damaged 546 others.
As natural disasters become increasingly severe, Da Nang City must adopt fundamental solutions to ensure long-term stability for residents, particularly in the western and south-western mountainous areas.
Authorities in the mountainous region of the former Quang Nam Province (now merged with Da Nang City) have implemented phased resettlement programmes.
Between 2016 and 2020, under the former Quang Nam Provincial People’s Council’s Resolution No. 12/2017/NQ-HDND (dated April 19, 2017), a total of 6,905 households were resettled, including 2,914 in high landslide-risk areas, with a budget of 385 billion VND for nine mountainous districts.
In the long term, Da Nang will develop sustainable stabilisation plans to ensure that people in disaster and landslide-prone areas have safe housing and secure livelihoods.
For the 2021–2025 period, the Provincial People’s Council issued Resolution No. 23/2021/NQ-HDND (dated July 22, 2021), regulating mechanisms and policies for resettlement and population stabilisation in mountainous areas, targeting about 7,821 households, 2,333 of which were in disaster-prone areas, with a total budget allocation of more than 245 billion VND. From 2021 to September 2024, a total of 2,414 households were supported for relocation, including 2,160 in high landslide-risk zones.
Tran Nam Hung, Vice Chairman of Da Nang City People’s Committee, stated that localities have been asked to review land reserves and develop plans to mobilise approximately 2 trillion VND to build safe resettlement areas. The city has also requested an equivalent amount from the central budget for resettlement in landslide-prone mountainous areas.
Most recently, during an inspection visit for flood recovery in mountainous communes, Vice Chairman of Da Nang City People’s Council, Doan Ngoc Hung Anh, stressed that the city would mobilise all available resources to help residents overcome difficulties.
In the long term, Da Nang will develop sustainable stabilisation plans to ensure that people in disaster and landslide-prone areas have safe housing and secure livelihoods.
