Flood risks in urban areas: More than an act of nature

This document is prepared based on studies conducted under and findings of the “Flood Resilience Measurement for Communities” project implemented in Thua Thien Hue, Binh Dinh, and Can Tho, Vietnam, from January 2021 through December 2024.  A key task of this project is to assess and analyze the flood resilience of interested communities over time against the Flood Resilience Measurement for Communities (FRMC) Framework.

The following are some recommendations from the study:

• Require impact assessments be part of development plans and projects, and particularly of urban development and urban infrastructure plans and projects. Assessments should look at how projects will affect city-wide (or province-wide, for larger projects like dams and roads) flood. 
• For the existing built landscape, conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of flooding and implement radical measures to minimize flood impacts in places where prior or recent development has negatively impacted long-standing communities.
• Implement needed measures to address suspended plan implementation in areas frequently affected by flooding such as Nhon Phu.
•  Strengthen the technical capacity of relevant departments and agencies at the local level on approaches, methods, and tools to build flood resilience, with a particular focus on integrated and systemic urban development planning that takes into account existing and future flood risks.