A street in downtown Đà Nẵng City is flooded due to heavy rain in early July. — VNA/VNS Photo Trần Lê Lâm

WASHINGTON — More than 1.2 million people in central Việt Nam are set to benefit from improved flood protection, safer evacuation routes and more reliable access to markets and services under a World Bank project recently approved by its Board of Executive Directors.

The Integrated Resilient Development Project aims to reduce storm and flood disruptions, safeguard essential services and ensure year-round access to key economic corridors. It targets two vulnerable yet economically important regions — the fast-growing coastal hub of Đà Nẵng and the highlands corridor of Gia Lai, which links farms and factories to the coast.

Cutting repeated closures and detours will lower costs for businesses and households while improving logistics efficiency.

“Given the impacts of severe weather events, Việt Nam’s infrastructure really needs to be adapted for flooding and coastal resilience,” said Mariam J. Sherman, World Bank Division Director for Việt Nam, Cambodia and Lao PDR.

“This project focuses on keeping communities safe, promoting economic connections and empowering provinces to manage infrastructure that creates more jobs and fosters sustainable, lasting growth.”

In Đà Nẵng, the project will restore river channels and build a flood bypass canal to reduce inundation in densely populated districts and protect essential services such as schools and hospitals.

In Gia Lai Province, it will raise and reinforce key roads and bridges to maintain year-round access from the Central Highlands to Quy Nhơn Port, a vital outlet for agricultural and industrial goods.

More reliable connectivity to ports and urban centres is expected to encourage private investment and support job creation across agriculture, trade and services, while opening new opportunities for tourism and local enterprises.

The World Bank will provide a loan of nearly US$145 million to fund the Integrated Resilient Development Project, which aligns with Việt Nam’s national strategies on disaster risk management and sustainable infrastructure. — VNS