Assessing the vulnerability to tidal-induced flooding of the low-income coastal community in the Mekong Delta: A case study in Bac Lieu Province, Vietnam

Abstract

The coastal region in Vietnam is the region most directly affected and severely damaged by climate change and sea-level rise, including in the Mekong Delta. The low-income coastal community is one of the most vulnerable populations to disaster risks because of limited adaptability and unsustainable livelihoods. Since 2005, people living along the 56 km coastline of Bac Lieu have faced high tides tending to rise over alarming levels III, damaging to life and production. This study used the community-based disaster risk assessment framework to identify the extent of vulnerabilities and its factors driving forces. It was conducted using mixed methods, including in-depth interviews of nine experts, questionnaire interviews of 233 households, and six focus groups at six coastal communes in Bac Lieu province. The study finds that the low-income coastal households are exposed to high levels of vulnerability about livelihood, residence safety, access to clean water and sanitation, food, and medical services due to a lack of adaptive capacity to the climate changes.