A landslide occurring last Saturday morning sent over 50,000 cubic meters of soil down to a road in Yen Dinh Commune of Bac Me District, burying a 16-seat van, killing 11 people and injuring four others.
Two days prior to the deadly accident, heavy rains in Ha Giang were triggered due to the impacts of low-pressure areas. Rain levels from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday in Tan Lap Commune were recorded to be at 290 mm, and 280 mm at Xuan Minh Commune, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. These two sites were located near the eroded area.
Experts believe that Ha Giang has a complex and dissected terrain, with many high mountains and highland geology, so heavy rains will activate erosion, washout, causing flash floods and landslides.
For over a month, Ha Giang has experienced heavy rain, causing landslides at dozens of points on national, provincial, inter-communal, and village roads.
In the photo above is a landslide on National Highway 4C through Minh Tan Commune of Vi Xuyen District that borders China.
Four landslides have occurred over a section of 4 km of the highway over the past month.
Authorities have put up warning signs and cordoned off the area while waiting for repairs.
Another landslide occurred more than 1 km from Minh Tan Commune.
In this area, half of the road surface is damaged, and workers have had to put up warning signs.
The embankment of National Highway 4C was swept down into the stream. Authorities temporarily used bamboo and poles to inform drivers.
A section of National Highway 4D through Tan Tien Commune of Hoang Su Phi District was washed away by stream water, affecting the culvert and road surface.
The section stretches over 15 m wide and went nearly 10 m deep, paralyzing traffic.
On National Highway 34 connecting Ha Giang City, the capital of Ha Giang Province, with Bac Me District, besides the landslide that killed 11 people, there are many landslides on negative slopes, with soil falling into ravines, exposing the foundations of guardrails.
On National Highway No.2 through Vi Xuyen District, there are three sections where roads are cracked.
In addition to cordoning off road sections, functional units have assigned people to monitor the landslide developments around the clock to respond promptly to incidents.
National Highway No. 2 is a vital link connecting localities in the plain areas such as Hanoi, Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho, and Tuyen Quang with Ha Giang, which is located in the northernmost part of Vietnam, bordered by China to the north.
Lying six hours north of Hanoi, the province is known for its stunning landscapes, including the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, terraced rice fields, and winding mountain roads.
On the tourism map, Ha Giang is positioned as a destination for adventurous travelers seeking natural beauty, cultural diversity with ethnic minority communities, and unique geological formations.
National Highway 4C connecting Ha Giang City with Dong Van and Meo Vac districts is a main route for tourists with hundreds of vehicles passing each day.
Following several heavy rains, many sections of soil and rocks have slid down from the vertical cliffs onto the road in recent days.
A warning sign is placed at an end of a landslide point on Provincial Road No. 177.
The leader of the Ha Giang Traffic Police Department stated that Provincial Road No. 177 is the location with the most landslides, with up to 10 new points occurring in one day.
Many landslide areas in Ha Giang, July 2024. Video by Huy Manh
