Concerns over Hoi An's ancient houses being damaged and dilapidated after floods

Concerns arise that Hoi An's ancient houses will be damaged and deteriorated after the floods.

Many houses in Hoi An's old town were deeply submerged in floodwaters on the afternoon of November 17, 2025. Photo: Thu Giang

From the end of October to mid-November 2025, Hoi An ancient town was repeatedly submerged in floodwaters, disrupting lives and causing significant damage to residents and businesses.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Oanh (a resident of Hoi An's old town) is frustrated that her business has been disrupted, forcing her to constantly move her goods to safety during floods.

For households like Mrs. Oanh's, who live and run businesses in old houses, the worry is not only about damaged goods but also about the deterioration of the old houses, which becomes evident after each flood.

"During the floods at the end of October 2025, my house was submerged for several days. Some wooden pillars showed signs of decay, and the walls were blistering in patches. Old houses, originally made of wood and brick, are very susceptible to damage and deterioration," added Mrs. Oanh.

Shops in Hoi An's Old Town move their belongings to protect them from floodwaters on the afternoon of November 17, 2025. Photo: Thu Giang

Similarly, Mr. Tran Van Phuc (name changed at the request of the person, residing on Bach Dang Street) expressed his sorrow that the major flood at the end of October 2025 also caused the foundation and wooden pillars of his house to blister and show signs of deterioration.

Immediately after the floodwaters receded, Mr. Phuc's family and many other households on the street hired workers to repair and restore their homes to stabilize their lives. The heavy rains and floods caused many households like Mr. Phuc to worry about preserving the architecture of their old houses.

Speaking with Lao Dong newspaper on the afternoon of November 17th, Mr. Vo Dang Phong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoi An ward, informed that the ward's People's Committee continuously monitors and updates information on the flood situation every 10 minutes to inform residents in the area.

For some low-lying areas prone to flooding, the People's Committee of the ward has also implemented plans and deployed forces today to warn and assist residents. The local authorities are also continuously monitoring the situation, and if floodwaters rise significantly by the evening of November 17th, they will consider plans to evacuate some residents in low-lying areas at risk of being isolated.

According to Mr. Vo Dang Phong, before and after storms and floods, the local authorities also coordinated with units under the Da Nang City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to establish records and compile statistics on dilapidated buildings and old houses.

Mr. Vo Dang Phong - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoi An Ward. Photo: Thu Giang

According to a report by the Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center, out of a total of more than 1,155 relics inspected, the majority remain safe.

However, there are currently 30 degraded historical sites, including 9 severely degraded, 14 heavily degraded, and 7 slightly degraded.

In response to this situation, the Center provided emergency support to a historical site (house number 23, Tieu La Street). At the same time, it encouraged 19 owners of historical sites to reinforce and support their structures themselves.

With 10 historical sites in serious disrepair, the Center recommends urgent restoration or temporary dismantling due to the inability to ensure safety.

The Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center stated that the early implementation of the proposed measures is necessary to protect the integrity of the Hoi An Ancient Town World Cultural Heritage site from the increasingly evident impacts of extreme weather and climate change.

After being submerged in floodwaters for many days, the structures of houses in Hoi An gradually deteriorate and are damaged over time. Photo: Thu Giang

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