Recent Shoreline Retreat of My Khe Beach, Da Nang, Central Vietnam

Abstract

My Khe Beach is located in Da Nang, the biggest city in Central Vietnam. Coastal erosion occurred in December 2017 has damaged infrastructures located along this beach. Since there is no well-documented case study about coastal erosion in this area, Google Earth images since 2002 were utilized to investigate the deformation of My Khe Beach. The analysis results indicate that formations of mega-cusps in this beach were noticeable during the northeast monsoon season and it is clear that beach erosions occurred at the embayment of the mega-cusps. In addition, these mega-cusps were smoothened by the calm waves during the south monsoon season a few months later. The megacusps observed along My Khe Beach have the alongshore spacing from 100 m to 300 m and the maximum wave height of about 50m. The local beach resorts have been developed without paying attention to this seasonal fluctuation of the beach. It is necessary to consider the characteristics of shoreline fluctuation clarified in this study for coastal planning and management.