Sponsor
Portland State University. Earth, Environment, & Society Ph. D. Program
First Advisor
Heejun Chang
Term of Graduation
Summer 2024
Date of Publication
7-24-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Earth, Environment, & Society
Department
Earth, Environment, & Society
Language
English
Physical Description
1 online resource (x, 306 pages)
Abstract
Flooding is the most common natural disaster globally, accounting for about 47% of all recorded events. It disproportionately affects the most vulnerable populations. The main goal of this dissertation is to conduct a comprehensive vulnerability assessment that can inform decision-making in flood risk management in the coastal megacity of Ho Chi Minh City, located in a low-lying area in south Vietnam. Despite contributing more than one fifth of the country's GDP, this city remains particularly susceptible to the adverse impacts of extreme weather conditions, making vulnerability analysis crucial.
The literature review carried out as part of this dissertation underscores the existing research gap in terms of assessing the vulnerability of ecological and managerial components of urban areas to flood hazards. Furthermore, this review compiles a comprehensive list of commonly used indicators for urban flood vulnerability assessment, highlighting both the most frequently employed indicators as well as the less commonly used ones. It also identifies special indicators that have an inverse effect on overall vulnerability in pre-, during, and post-flood phases and within and outside flood-prone areas.
To address this research gap, this study adopts a two-fold approach, combining an indicator-based spatial analysis with an institutional analysis to assess urban flood vulnerability in Ho Chi Minh City. The former assesses social, ecological, and technological vulnerability, while the latter focuses on institutional vulnerability. Data and other relevant inputs for these analyses were obtained through an expert survey, with participants consisting of researchers and practitioners actively involved in flood risk control and management within the city.
The findings obtained from these analyses offer valuable insights that can guide decision-making processes within the institution network. They highlight specific areas where Ho Chi Minh City should prioritize budget and resource allocation to effectively reduce flood vulnerability. The methodology employed for urban flood vulnerability assessment, as well as the systematic understanding of the institution network, presented in this research can be applicable to other large and diverse urban areas that are prone to frequent flooding. However, it is necessary to adapt the specific indicators and analyses to suit local conditions and incorporate local knowledge.
Rights
© 2024 Hue Hong Duong
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Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/42532
Recommended Citation
Duong, Hue Hong, "Flood Vulnerability in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam" (2024). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 6699.