Fifty-one families in Tak To Village, Nam Tra My District, have been moving into their new homes this week. Authorities say the new area, located about 300 m from their old village, is less prone to erosion.
Tak To villagers are among over 7,820 families from mountainous areas at risk of landslides being aided by provincial authorities to find new places to live. The aid was approved by the Quang Nam People's Council in July 2021, with an investment capital of over VND968 billion ($41.1 million).
Tra Don Commune authorities have been relocating Tak To Village residents since November 2022. Each family has been provided 150-200 m2 worth of land and VND105 million for relocation purposes.
Dinh Ngoc Vu and a neighbor carry a wooden beam from their old neighborhood to the new location.
"At the end of 2020, the mountain behind the village eroded, meaning thousands of square meters of rubble rolled down," said Vu. "Nearby communes all had people who died in the landslides, so everyone was afraid and willing to relocate."
Standing beneath the shelter of a new wooden home, Ho Van Nuoc (R) said that after construction is completed, Tra Don Commune authorities will come evaluate the work and provide financial aid. Those who want better houses need to pay more money, Nuoc added.
Ho Thu Lay collects sand for her new home. Her family is poor so relocation is costly, but her new home will have more space and is closer to the road.
Tak To villagers work together to build a cement road leading to their new homes. Each family receives VND10 million as support, and villagers pay for any extra costs themselves.
Tak To Village used to have no road, so getting to National Highway 40B meant an hour's walk through the forest. With a cement road, people now need to make only a 10-minute motorbike ride.
Le Trung Truc, chairman of Tra Don Commune, said infrastructure projects for electricity and roads are currently receiving investment.
"At the new location, we cannot guarantee that there will be no erosion, but it will be safer. Tra Don is full of hills, so finding flat ground is difficult," he said.
About 50 km away from Tak To, Tak Rang Village (located beneath the Ngoc Linh mountain) just received 82 relocated families fleeing areas prone to erosion.
The neighborhood spans dozens of hectares along the mountain slopes.
Ho Thi Dang's family of seven was given 200 square meters of land for relocation.
"We were aided with VND95 million, and we used VND25 million on an excavator, while the rest was spent on other construction costs. We did not have to spend any money ourselves," she said, adding that her old village was tiny and prone to landslides and floods during rainstorms.
