Hanoi water park where two children drowned razed

Around 100 workers and eight bulldozers were dispatched on Wednesday to the Thanh Ha Water Park in Ha Dong District following a decision by the district last month.

Duong Ngoc Thoa, deputy chairman of the Phu Luong Ward People’s Committee, said: "The water park did not get approval for construction."

Thoa said the authorities sent a notice to the park owners to dismantle it on November 27, 2019. As the deadline passed and the owners did not do it, the authotiries had to do it themselves.

The demolition would be completed in two days, he added.

Cienco5 Real Estate Development firm, the park’s main stakeholder, confirmed receipt of the notice for demolition, but declined to provide further information.

The VND200 billion ($8.63 million) Thanh Ha Water Park, opened in June last year, saw two children aged two and six drown on two separate occasions.

The park closed for a month after the first drowning in June. After the second tragedy in September, it drew a lot of attention and authorities discovered it had not obtained a permit.