The $3.5 Million Dollar Question: Why Did the Kiên Giang Seawall Collapse Just 5 Months After Inspection?

On the morning of September 4, the Kien Giang Provincial Party Committee’s Communication and Education Board coordinated with the Department of Information and Communications to organize a periodic press briefing. At the meeting, the parties provided additional information about the recently completed 80 billion VND seawall project, which had incurred damage just five months after completion.

Mr. Duong Khanh Binh, Director of the Project Management Board of Investment and Construction of Giang Thanh District (representing the investor), stated that the seawall project was completed and accepted in mid-March 2024. However, by July 2024, the structure exhibited signs of foundation settlement. Consequently, the investor requested the contractor and consulting supervisor to dismantle the tiled surface for refinishing.

On August 4, the local authorities discovered that three segments, A35, A36, and A37 (with an embankment height of 3.5m), had tilted towards the river by 50-100cm compared to their initial position. The following day, on August 5, a 70-meter section of the seawall collapsed, leading to the dismantling of the aforementioned three segments for remediation. Preliminary estimates place the damage at around 300 million VND.

Following the incident, according to Mr. Binh, the local authorities held a meeting with relevant units, requesting the consulting unit to inspect the entire seawall line, conduct monitoring, and provide specific design calculations in their report. He added that one or two segments experienced similar issues and have been rectified. Regarding the three segments that collapsed, he attributed it to localized geological changes and suspected design flaws. Consequently, they proposed that the consulting unit prepare a report to determine the appropriate course of action. The contractor committed to repairing the three collapsed segments within approximately ten days, assuring that the incident affected less than 5% of the entire line.

The investor’s representative also expressed concerns about the project’s stability and suggested hiring an independent unit to re-inspect the entire project. This independent unit is currently evaluating whether the project meets the design standards. In parallel, the consulting unit is conducting monitoring of the entire line and will provide a comprehensive report.

A reporter from Tien Phong inquired about the responsibility of the People’s Committee of Giang Thanh District and related units regarding the incident. Mr. Binh responded that the cause is still under investigation. He emphasized the local authorities’ perspective, stating, “For now, we are focused on finding the cause to determine the appropriate remedial measures. The unit at fault will be held accountable and must rectify their mistakes.”

As previously reported by Tien Phong, the seawall project along the Ha Giang Canal, stretching from the administrative center of Giang Thanh District to the Dam Chit residential area (Tan Khanh Hoa commune, Giang Thanh District, Kien Giang), has a total length of over 3km. The project included components such as embankments, sidewalks, greenery, internal roads, drainage and lighting systems, with a total investment of 80 billion VND from the central budget.

The project was completed and accepted in mid-March 2024, but by July of the same year, signs of settlement appeared, and in August (just five months after acceptance), a 70-meter section of the seawall collapsed. Additionally, during the construction of the project in 2023, there were incidents of embankment collapse, raising concerns and doubts among residents about the quality of the newly completed structure.