Devastating Landslides Wreak Havoc Along Northern Mountainous Provinces’ National Highways

Road Construction Joint Stock Company 226 (Dien Bien) reported that prolonged heavy rains caused by Storm No. 3 had severe consequences, especially on the transport system on National Highways 6, 12, 279, and 279b, which experienced multiple landslides.

Specifically, around 5 am on September 9, a landslide blocked the road at Km 113+240 on National Highway 12 in Huoi Leng commune (Muong Cha district). Due to the heavy rain, the road management unit closed the road and guided vehicles to stop in safe areas. They also mobilized workers and machinery to stand by, waiting for the safe conditions to clear the road.

On National Highway 279, there were two landslides at Km 109+200 and Km 112+480 in Na U commune (Dien Bien district). Immediately after the incident, the company directed the relevant units to mobilize human resources and machinery to the scene to fix the problem.

Similarly, on National Highway 279b, a landslide occurred at Km 2+560, eroding the culvert and encroaching on the road foundation.

In Lai Chau province, around 2 am on September 9, a large amount of soil and rocks slid down at Km 85+700 on National Highway 4D (near the Dragon Cloud Glass Bridge tourist site), blocking all vehicles. Functional agencies are coordinating to handle the situation.

At Km 218+80 on National Highway 4H, from Mu Ca commune, Muong Te district (Lai Chau province) to Muong Ne district (Dien Bien province), the road is still completely blocked due to a massive landslide.

Earlier, according to the Lai Chau Provincial Department of Transport, due to moderate to heavy rains, with heavy rains in some places, at 16:30 on June 8, there were multiple landslides on the National Highway 4D section of O Quy Ho pass (Son Binh commune, Tam Duong district), blocking traffic.

Immediately after the landslide, the Lai Chau Provincial Department of Transport directed the relevant units to mobilize human resources and machinery to clear the soil, rocks, and fallen trees. In addition, they strengthened the inspection and patrol of the roads to promptly detect and report damage; and requested the units to be ready with human resources, machinery, and backup supplies at critical locations to promptly handle any incidents.

After several hours of urgent repair, the blocked sections of National Highway 4D over O Quy Ho pass temporarily reopened for vehicles traveling between Lai Chau and Sa Pa.

According to the Department of Transport of Lao Cai province, two significant landslides occurred on National Highway 279 at Km 124+100, in Duong Quy commune (Van Ban district), and Km 79+200, in Bon 1 and 2 villages (Bao Ha commune, Bao Yen district) during the night of September 8.

The road maintenance management unit has installed tensioned wires and barriers and closed the road to ensure traffic safety.

In the early morning of September 9, a landslide occurred on National Highway 3B, in Ang Toong pass (Na Ri district, Bac Kan province), causing a local disruption, and several vehicles were damaged by falling rocks.

At that time, hundreds of cubic meters of rocks and soil from the hillside, along with trees, suddenly slid down, burying the entire road. Fortunately, there were no casualties. Currently, National Highway 3B connecting Bac Kan city and Na Ri district is cut off and locally congested.

Mr. Leng Van Chien, Director of Bac Kan Provincial Department of Transport, said that upon receiving the information, the Department of Transport directed the traffic guard force to ensure traffic safety. Specialized units have assembled machinery and human resources at the scene, but the slip is still unstable, and rocks are continuing to fall, so the forces have not been able to access the site.

There are currently twelve serious landslides on National Highways 3B and 279 in Bac Kan province, causing local congestion. In addition, due to rising river and stream levels, local flooding occurs at low-lying bridges and sections, causing almost all provincial roads to be paralyzed.

In Thanh Hoa province, the section from Km 88+750 to Km 88+810 on National Highway 15C in Pu Nhi commune (Muong Lat district) has sunk by two-thirds of the road width (on the right side of the route) to a depth of about 3 meters and a length of about 60 meters, and there is a risk of complete road collapse.

This location has been announced by the Ministry of Transport as a critical situation to respond to and repair transport infrastructure damage. Currently, the Vietnam Road Administration is directing the Thanh Hoa Provincial Department of Transport to implement repair solutions.

The Department of Transport requested the People’s Committee of Muong Lat district to deploy a plan to relocate households in the affected area to a safe place and propagate the incident and temporary traffic organization plan so that local people and vehicles are aware. It also requested the People’s Committee of Pu Nhi commune and relevant forces (district and commune police) to coordinate with the units of the Department of Transport to organize two checkpoints, guarded 24 hours a day, at both ends of the slip to guide and regulate traffic and ensure security and order.

The Transport Infrastructure Management and Public Transport Operation Control Center (Department of Transport) and the road management unit cooperate with local authorities and related units to implement the above traffic diversion plan, assign staff to guard and guide traffic 24 hours a day, and deploy damage repair solutions.

The Pu Nhi Border Guard Station cooperates with the Department of Transport to monitor the subsidence and proactively plans to relocate and ensure safety in the area.