Da Lat landfill collapses after heavy rain, burying coffee farms and polluting stream

Hundreds of tons of waste from a high-elevation yard at the solid waste treatment plant in Xuan Truong Commune collapsed on Tuesday. The landslide, which spanned approximately 10 meters wide and 30 meters long, uprooted numerous pine trees and buried around 2,000 square meters of land where two families were cultivating long-term coffee crops that were nearing harvest.

Leachate from the waste flowed into a stream at the foot of the hill, polluting the water.

The plant's operator, Green Power Co. Ltd, based in Ho Chi Minh City, dispatched three excavators to clear the landslide area and prevent additional waste from sliding down.

Trash falls down from a landfill in Da Lat City. Photo by VnExpress/Khanh Huong

Local authorities met with the plant's representatives on Wednesday, demanding the collection of the trash, as well as a thorough damage assessment and compensation for the affected residents. Officials also instructed the plant's management to construct a retaining wall to prevent future landslides.

The Xuan Truong solid waste treatment plant, which has been operational since 2015, spans 28 hectares. The facility runs three production lines, processing 100% of Da Lat City's waste and producing plastic pellets, organic fertilizers, and bricks.

The city, one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations, generates 350-400 tons of waste daily.