Da Nang, located along the central Vietnamese coast, is experiencing rapid development in response to a growing population and diversifying economy. The city and the central Vietnam coastline experience tropical storms and typhoons. Significant damage to infrastructure, such as housing and office buildings, can occur during tropical storms due to high, sustained winds and post-storm due to flooding. Current housing, particularly homes built by the poor to middle income households, often cannot withstand tropical storms with winds higher than 89–102 km/hr, which are not even typhoon strength winds.

This policy brief, Da Nang: Typhoon Intensity and Climate Change, discusses that even though the projections from multiple climate models indicate that the total number of typhoons in the East Sea may continue to decrease in the future, it is important that the public, city planners, developers, and the department of construction do not relax building standards. Typhoons like Xangsane will still occur, some will be very strong or violent and can cause significant damage if people are not prepared.

Sheltering From a Gathering Storm is a two-year project supported by CDKN targeting peri-urban areas in India, Vietnam and Pakistan to identify practical solutions for resilient shelters and the long-term economic returns of investing in such shelter structures, focussing on cities facing risks from typhoons, flooding and extreme heat.

Further reading:

Case studies:

• Sheltering From a Gathering Storm: Flood Resilience in India
• Sheltering From a Gathering Storm: Temperature Resilience in Pakistan
• Sheltering From a Gathering Storm: Typhoon Resilience in Vietnam

Reports:

• Review of Housing Vulnerability: Implications for Climate Resilient Houses
• Extreme Rainfall, Climate Change and Flooding in Da Nang, Vietnam
• Extreme Rainfall, Climate Change and Flooding in Gorakhpur, India (policy brief)
• Qualitative Insights Into The Costs And Benefits Of Housing In Three Wards In Central Vietnam
• Lessons from Typhoon Nari: Storm Resistant Housing shown to be Effective
• Sheltering From a Gathering Storm: The Cost and Benefits of Climate Resilient Shelter

Technical papers:

• Extreme Rainfall, Climate Change and Flooding in Gorakhpur, India (technical brief)
• Da Nang's Extreme Rainfall and Climate Change by the 2020s and 2050s