Flood sweeps away jeep, 4 Korean tourists dead

Name: Flood sweeps away jeep, 4 Korean tourists dead
Uploaded: 2023-10-24T16:41:17+07:00
Duration: 23 s
Description: Four South Korean tourists riding a jeep across a stream near the mountain city of Da Lat were killed when their vehicle was swept away by rising floodwaters on Tuesday.

By Khanh Huong, Truong Ha October 24, 2023 | 01:41 am PT

Four South Korean tourists riding a jeep across a stream near the mountain city of Da Lat were killed when their vehicle was swept away by rising floodwaters on Tuesday.

Water in the stream rose suddenly that afternoon, sweeping away the jeep driven by a Vietnamese driver.

He was driving the four tourists at the Cu Lan Village Tourist Area in Lac Duong District, around 15 kilometers from Da Lat in Lam Dong Province.

Ôtô bị lũ cuốn, 4 khách Hàn Quốc tử vong — Rescuers retrieve the jeep that was swept away while carrying four South Korean tourists in Lam Dong Province on Oct. 24, 2023. Video by Le Tien

Rescue forces found the bodies of two of the tourists at 3:10 p.m. around 4 km from where their jeep was swept away. The Vietnamese driver survived the tragedy and suffered only minor injuries.

Lam Dong provincial police mobilized forces and rescue vehicles to search for the two other tourists, whose bodies were found at 4:30 p.m.

Local officials said the rain was not heavy at the time the accident happened, so the rising water might have been due to flows from upstream. But they said it was unusual for the waters to be strong enough to sweep away a jeep.

The stream section is often shallow and has been a popular tourist site for those who want to experience crossing jungle streams in a jeep.

Many parts of Lam Dong have been hit by heavy rains over the past three days.

Tourists stand on a jeep in Lam Dong Province that was stuck in floodwaters on Oct. 24, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Truong Ha

Cu Lan Village covers an area of 30 hectares and is located amidst the wild primeval forest at the foot of Lang Biang Mountain, 20 km from Xuan Huong Lake and Cu Hill.

The village boasts many beautiful landscapes and pristine pine forests and has become a popular tourist attraction in recent years, with entry tickets from VND60,000-120,000 (US$2.43-4.86).