Vietnamese World Heritage site in danger from flooding

The central Viet Nam World Heritage town of Hoi An was threatened by flood waters on Thursday, Reuters reported the same day. At least 10 people have died, and thousands were forced from their homes.

The government has reported that at least 30,000 people have been relocated in the provinces of Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Tri, where two people have died due to a capsized boat.

Hoi An was designated as a World Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1999 for being an exceptional example of a Southeast Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th centuries.

The government also said in a disaster report that three key coffee growing provinces – Dak Lak, Gia Lai and Kontum – in the Central Highlands are in danger from flash flooding and landslides. These areas account for almost half of Viet Nam’s coffee production, with 535,000 metric tons, or 8.92 million bags.

Floods earlier this month killed almost 100 people after Typhoon Lekima struck the country’s coast. Viet Nam’s three-month flood and storm season is expected to end this month.

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