Understanding and assessing flood risk in Vietnam: Current status, persisting gaps, and future directions

Vietnam is exposed to different types of floods that cause severe economic losses, damage to infrastructure, and loss of life. Reliable information on the drivers, patterns and dynamics of flood risk is crucial for the identification, prioritization and planning of risk reduction and adaptation measures. Here, we present a systematic review of existing flood risk assessments in Vietnam. We evaluate the current status, persisting gaps, and challenges regarding the understanding and assessment of flood risk in the country. The literature review revealed that: (i) 65 % of the reviewed papers did not provide a clear definition of flood risk, (ii) assessments had a tendency to prioritize physical and environmental drivers of risk over social, economic or governance-related drivers, (iii) future-oriented assessments tended to focus on hazard and exposure trends, while vulnerability scenarios were often lacking, (iv) large and middle-sized cities were assessed more frequently than others, (v) only few studies engaged with relevant local stakeholders for the assessment of risk and the development of potential solutions, and (vi) ecosystem-based adaptation and flood risk insurance solutions were rarely considered. Based on these findings, we point out several directions for future research on flood risk in Vietnam.

Automated summary

Vietnam faces various types of floods that lead to significant economic losses, infrastructure damage, and loss of lives. Existing flood risk assessments in the country lack clear definitions, tend to prioritize physical and environmental drivers over social, economic, and governance-related drivers, and often overlook vulnerability scenarios. Future research on flood risk in Vietnam should focus on addressing these gaps and engaging relevant stakeholders for more comprehensive risk assessments and solutions.