Kansas State University Undergraduate Research Conference

Vietnam's Natural Hazards - 1999 Flood

Vietnam is one of the countries most affected by natural hazards such as flood. For instance, during the 1990s to the early 2000s, the country experienced numerous floods, particularly in its central and southern regions. Located in Southeast Asia, bordered by China in the north, Laos and Cambodia in the west, and the South China Sea in the east, the country has 2,860 small and large rivers with a total flow of about 867 billion cubic meters per year. The central region of Vietnam is narrow, mountainous, and close to the coastline. Many rivers pass through the region, which had a total population of 7.5 million in 1999. These rivers originate in the western mountain range and flow into the South China Sea. Moreover, Vietnam is tropical, and so the country’s northern and north central regions are influenced by a monsoon type of climate; thus, these regions receive heavy rainfall during the summer. Because of its unique topography and tropical climate, the country is prone to annual flooding. The impacts of flood relate to deforestation, education level, and household income; the lack of governmental policies also plays an important role in determining the impacts. “Resilience” and “adaptation” become the important keys to reduce the impacts of flood.