2 fall into chasm as downpour erodes southern Vietnam road

Rain began around 7 a.m. in several districts and cities in Binh Duong, which borders Ho Chi Minh City.

In Chanh Phu Hoa Ward in Ben Cat City, rainwater washed away soil beneath the road, leading to a 10-meter-wide collapse about 4 to 5 m deep. A motorbike and a tricycle plunged into the gap.

Rescuers arrived and dug out the dirt, pulling the two victims to safety within 30 minutes. Both suffered minor injuries, according to local authorities.

The aftermath of a road erosion in Binh Duong, Feb. 13, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Thai Ha

Nguyen Trong An, chair of the Ben Cat People's Committee, said accumulated rainwater over the previous two days and uneven ground contributed to the erosion. Officials have sealed off the area and are working to repair the road.

Residents noted that the damaged section was once a railway track. A hole beneath the surface, about 4 to 5 m deep, had been filled and covered with asphalt about a month earlier.

Parts of southern Vietnam have experienced intense rainfall in recent days. Recorded precipitation in Binh Duong, Dong Nai, and HCMC surpassed 120 mm by Thursday morning, levels not seen in the region during February for the past 20 years, according to Le Dinh Quyet, head of the forecasting department at the Southern Regional Hydro-Meteorological Center.