Asia & the Pacific



Several beaches in the popular tourist town of Hoi An have been closed off as severe erosion has made the area dangerous for visitors.

Hoi An.

Hoi An. Image by Adam / CC BY-SA 2.0

In some places, strong waves have eroded up to 15m deep into the beach, as well as destroying beach-access stairways. According to the town’s vice chairman, half of the 7km coastline has been affected by erosion. Experts have linked the erosion problem to the construction of local hydropower plants and to tourism activities along the shoreline. The town has reportedly spent US$1.12 million since the end of 2014 trying to address the problem. Read more: thanhnienews.com