Review and evaluate the status of Hoi An and My Son heritage sites after rain and flood

Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center (Hoi An Center), Da Nang City said that on November 5, the unit presided over and coordinated with Hoi An Ward People's Committee and Kim An Construction Company Limited to inspect, review and assess the status of relics in the old town and surrounding areas to proactively respond and minimize damage to storm No. 13.

Previously, within just one week, Hoi An ancient town had suffered consecutive floods, causing thousands of architectural relics, ancient houses, tourist attractions, and museums in the Hoi An ancient town to be submerged more than 3.4 meters deep. With efforts to overcome and clean up, from the morning of November 5, museums and relics in Hoi An ancient town reopened to welcome visitors after many days of flooding. However, some roads are still covered with mud, Bach Dang street, and the night market area along the Hoai River still have places where floodwaters have not yet been completely drained. In addition to the work of overcoming and cleaning the environment, functional forces and local people are also urgently deploying to reinforce houses and relic sites to cope with storm No. 13.

Mr. Pham Phu Ngoc, Deputy Director of Hoi An Center, said that proactively supporting and protecting relics when storms and floods occur is to minimize the damage caused by natural disasters, ensuring the safety of relics as well as people and property inside the relics. After the recent historic flood, on November 5, the unit deployed inspection, review and assessment of the status of relics in the old town and surrounding areas. Because the floodwaters have just receded and we continue to urgently respond to storm No. 13, there is no specific summary yet.

However, before that, from the end of the second quarter of 2025, the Center had organized a survey and assessment of the status of relics, especially relics in the Heritage Area to have a timely and effective response plan when storms and floods occur. The list of relics in the World Cultural Heritage Area of Hoi An Ancient Town that are degraded and need to be supported and supported further was conducted by the unit before the rainy and stormy season, so there was a plan to support, protect, and minimize damage to the relics, ensuring safety for the people.

Review and evaluate the status of Hoi An and My Son heritage sites after rain and flood - photo 2 — My Son Management Board is implementing the cutting of trees at risk of falling at the restoration site.

Hoi An Ancient Town Heritage is located in the lower reaches of the Thu Bon River, often directly affected by natural disasters, especially floods. The work of supporting and protecting relics during the stormy season in Hoi An in general, and in the heritage site in particular, has always been maintained by the Hoi An Center in regular coordination with local agencies and units for many years to prevent and minimize damage caused during the stormy season. For relics located outside the heritage site, the unit coordinates with the People's Committees of Hoi An Dong, Hoi An Tay wards and Tan Hiep commune to issue a document requesting relic management teams, owners or representatives of relic owners to proactively support, protect artifacts, assets, prune trees at the relic, etc. when storms and floods occur.

At My Son Temple Complex (Thu Bon Commune, Da Nang City), in recent days, the My Son World Cultural Heritage Management Board (My Son Management Board) has focused its forces on trimming trees at risk of falling, installing signs in places at risk of being affected, cleaning up the restoration site at towers E and F; and securing agency assets. In addition, they are on duty to support tourists, set up a tourist information hotline, and directly inform tour guide groups and travel companies according to the Management Board's 2025 flood and storm prevention plan. Set up hotlines for flooded locations at some points in Duy Xuyen and Ai Nghia communes to inform about some places that are likely to be flooded on the roads for tourists to visit My Son.

The unit has also established a 2025 Command Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue consisting of 11 members, and at the same time issued a plan for natural disaster prevention and search and rescue in the My Son World Heritage Management Board in 2025. Mr. Nguyen Cong Khiet, Deputy Director in charge of the My Son Management Board, said: Some tasks the unit will deploy before the rainy and stormy season include: Surveying and cutting down the height to prevent trees from falling along the road from Duy Phu intersection to the tower area. Clearing and clearing the flow of the stream system along the relic area and the relic corridor areas. Surveying and developing a plan to support temple and tower structures at risk of being affected by heavy rain and storms. Installing flood warning devices in areas that are frequently flooded when it rains. Purchasing vehicles to support tourists at flooded areas (Bon Tri bridge, Bon Hong bridge).

In case of storms and floods, carry out on-duty work, closely monitor the development of floods in the area when there is prolonged heavy rain. Arrange forces to block, proactively prohibit people and vehicles from participating in traffic through dangerous areas such as roads, bridges, gates, tunnels... that are deeply flooded or unsafe due to rain and floods; areas at risk of landslides due to rain, floods or large flows (snake pit bridge, positive slope from Khe The bridge to Nha Doi, Bon Tri bridge, Bon Hong bridge, bridge through BCD area, Nha Doi bridge to area K),...

Organize rescue and search for people, vehicles, and infrastructure damaged by floods. Clear landslides along the road causing traffic jams from Duy Phu intersection to the relic site.

Proposal to add more than 34 billion VND to restore relic sites of Hue heritage site

On November 6, the Hue Monuments Conservation Center announced that it had reported and recommended that the Hue City People's Committee add more than 34 billion VND to the work of repairing relic sites affected by the historic floods and preventing the risk of storms and floods. Currently, relic sites belonging to the Hue Monuments Complex have been cleaned to ensure the landscape environment and safety for tourists, however, some affected, damaged and degraded areas need to be urgently repaired to ensure long-term stability for the work of preserving and promoting heritage values.

After the floods from October 26 to November 4, many Hue relic sites were flooded, causing severe flooding, such as the Hue Imperial Citadel heritage site, Tang Tho pavilion, Long An palace (Hue Royal Antiquities Museum), An Dinh palace, the tombs of Gia Long, Minh Mang, Tu Duc, Thieu Tri...

In particular, the floods collapsed a 15m-long section of the Hue Imperial City wall; caused landslides in the lake embankment section at Tu Duc Tomb; swept away the ticket control barrier system at Minh Mang Tomb; swept away two electric poles at Phu Ha - Dien Hue Nam and the iron railing at the Holy House; swept away 16 electric cabinets in the relics; 8 motors and control cabinets at Ky Dai were flooded; the fire protection engine system was completely damaged. In addition, the Kim Thuy outer lake embankment system in Hue Imperial City continued to be eroded and at high risk of subsidence, affecting the landscape of the area; Bat Trang brick floors at some walkways, courtyards in the Imperial City and mausoleums showed signs of peeling and damage after flooding; nurseries and ornamental plants were damaged...

According to Mr. Hoang Viet Trung, Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center, after the recent floods, a number of structures, artifacts, and assets were submerged in water for a long time, and the storage facilities for artifacts and assets were damp, causing existing risks to the structures, artifacts, and assets. If there is no timely solution, it will cause greater damage. Along with that, the roof systems of many structures are degraded, heavy rains lead to the phenomenon of tile roof collapse causing leaks, which in the long run will affect the wooden structure system inside, such as the Ta Vu - Huu Vu house in the Imperial City; Bieu Duc palace, Ta - Huu Tung Tu house in Thieu Tri tomb; the horizontal row of houses in An Dinh palace...

S. THUY

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/ra-soat-danh-gia-tinh-trang-di-san-hoi-an-my-son-sau-mua-lu-179742.html