High power sirens for emergency warning in Huế City, Vietnam
Solutions Brief
The ‘Solutions’ series shares practical and replicable local knowledge through our work across Vietnam on how to build resilience to climate hazards.
Summary
To strengthen Huế City’s disaster resilience through faster, more robust, and more inclusive early warning, ISET-International (ISET) supported the installation of two high-power warning sirens equipped with backup power systems for emergency communication. These sirens can be operated remotely, have a range of up to 5 km, and serve as a last-resort warning channel in emergency situations, particularly effective for reaching local communities especially hard-to-access groups during nighttime, early morning, or periods of power and internet outages. The system was activated and proved effective during major flood events in 2024 and 2025. Following the pilot installation, Huế City government directed the replication of this model across the city and has since installed two additional sirens. An official operating protocol was also approved and disseminated in training events and via the city-wide Hue-S app. This initiative promotes the rapidity, redundancy and inclusiveness of Huế’s early warning system (EWS), ensuring critical alerts can reach all residents even under the most challenging conditions.
Funded by: The Z Zurich Foundation
The Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance is a multi-sectoral partnership focused on enhancing resilience to climate hazards in both rural and urban communities.