City authorities have identified 1,294 households across 62 locations that are particularly susceptible to natural disasters such as floods and landslides. To ensure that the 5,075 people in these high-risk areas are removed from harm’s way, they will be “urgently” relocated, according to Vietnam Net.
462 households located in “extremely dangerous areas” in Districts 2, Binh Thanh, Nha Be, Binh Chanh will be relocated this year while the remaining households in "dangerous areas" in Thu Duc and Can Gio will be relocated between 2015 – 2016.
In addition, dikes will be built around high-risk areas to prevent landslides.
Relocated residents will receive compensation in the form of 50-150sq.m plots of land in new locations and VND20 million in relocation fees. As many residents will be pushed far from their old jobs, the city will also provide vocational training.
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- Despite Heavy Investment, HCMC Flood Prevention Projects "Ineffective"
HCMC has been hit particularly hard by flooding over the past year with record high-tides rendering existing flood-prevention tactics useless.
These problems are compounded by the fact that the city is sinking. Researchers at the National University Ho Chi Minh City’s Geoinformatics Center found that many areas of HCMC are sinking at a rate of 20mm per year. The trend, which began in 1996, has been increasing steadily since 2004. Based on estimates from the city Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE), “many parts will sink a further 12-20 centimeters by 2020.”
The city has been mulling a public-private joint partnership with local and foreign companies to create a sustainable flood-prevention infrastructure. But with a price tag of VND57.8 trillion, we may have to wait a while longer before these plans become a reality.
[Vietnam Net // Photo via Tachyons]
