From the end of October to mid-November 2025, Hoi An ancient town has been continuously submerged in floodwaters, disrupting life and causing great damage to people and businesses.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Oanh (living in Hoi An ancient town) was frustrated when her business was interrupted and she had to constantly move out to avoid floods.
For households living and doing business in ancient houses like Ms. Oanh, the concern is not only the damage of goods but also the deterioration of ancient houses that are clearly visible after each flood.
"The flood at the end of October 2025 flooded my house for several consecutive days. Some wooden columns show signs of rot, the walls are swollen in patches. Ancient houses are made of pure wood and bricks, so they are easily damaged and spoiled" - Ms. Oanh added.
Similarly, Mr. Tran Van Phuc (name of the character requested for change, living on Bach Dang street) was heartbroken when the big flood at the end of October 2025 also caused the floor and wooden pillars to peel off, showing signs of collapse.
Immediately after the floodwaters receded, his family and many households on the street also hired workers to repair and restore their lives. The heavy rain and floods have made many households like Mr. Phuc worried about preserving the architecture of ancient houses.
Talking to Lao Dong on the afternoon of November 17, Mr. Vo Dang Phong - Vice Chairman of Hoi An Ward People's Committee - informed that the Ward People's Committee continuously monitors and updates information, the flood situation every 10 minutes to notify local people to grasp.
For some low-lying areas, the People's Committee of the ward has also deployed a plan and arranged forces to warn and support people. The locality also continuously monitors, if the flood water rises on the evening of November 17, it will also consider plans and relocation of some cases of people in low-lying areas at risk of isolation.
According to Mr. Vo Dang Phong, before and after storms and floods, the locality has also coordinated with units under the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Da Nang City to establish records and count degraded works and ancient houses.
According to the report of the Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center, out of a total of more than 1,155 relics inspected, most of them are still safe.
However, there are currently 30 relics that are degraded, of which 9 are seriously degraded, 14 are severely degraded, and 7 are slightly degraded.
Faced with this situation, the Center has provided emergency support to a relic (house No. 23 Tieu La). At the same time, 19 relic owners were encouraged to reinforce and support the project.
For 10 seriously degraded relics, the Center proposed urgent restoration or temporary demolition due to the inability to ensure safety.
The Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center said that early implementation of proposed measures is necessary to protect the integrity of the World Cultural Heritage of Hoi An Ancient Town against the increasingly obvious impacts of extreme weather and climate change.
