Droughts are complex natural hazards that develop slowly over time with mostly indirect, invisible impacts besides wilting crops. Water managers and policy makers dealing with drought impacts need adequate information to prepare for droughts, allocate scarce water and provide relief. However, in many cases they rely on relatively simple, hydro-meteorological drought and drought risk indicators with low spatial resolution and no differentiation of water users. This presentation discusses drought hazards, impacts and risks in a relatively small river basin in central Vietnam. Two commonly used drought indicators and a drought risk map combining meteorological and socioeconomic data are presented. The results are discussed in view of the realities on the ground obtained from a survey, interviews and field visits.