The South Economic Focal Region in Vietnam (SEFR) is responsible for 50% of national production, and has a population density more than three times that of the country as a whole. The most developed coastal region in Vietnam has also experienced great annual property loss due to intensive storms and floods which has threatened the economic growth of the country. Based on the assumption that more developed regions have higher risks and higher damage costs from coastal disasters and climate change, this study focuses on the economic damage costs of coastal flooding by intensive storms and sea level rise. The Pearson statistical model is employed by utilizing total costs of losses, land area, and population in the SEFR from 1996 to 2006. Moreover, this study includes research on literature of coastal erosion and the interviews with local residents. Using this analysis, we found that the average damage costs in this region were equivalent to around half of total damage costs for the entire country even though the number of annual coastal disasters was four or five times less than total in-country coastal disasters. Additionally, this study confirms the relationship of the damage costs with land area and population. The coastal erosion in this region has been increasing mainly resulted from tidal and wave action and local people still have their property near the shoreline, at high risk of damage from storms and floods.

Keywords:Pearson Regression model; Coastal damage cost; Economic development; Climate Change; Vietnam

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