According to Nguyen Van Phuong, vice chairman of Thua Thien-Hue Province People’s Committee, until now, around 30 are still missing related to the landslide case of Rao Trang 3 hydropower plant in Phong Dien District, comprising 17 workers of the plant and 13 from a rescue team.

 The rescue force deployed to search the missing people 

The 13 missing rescue members include Nguyen Van Man, Deputy Commander of the 4th Military Region of Vietnam People's Army, and several soldiers and officials.

They were part of a 21-member rescue team assigned to verify reports of more than 10 workers buried by a landslide near the hydropower plant.

Phuong added that around 1,000 people have been divided into three groups for the rescue.

The first is travelling to the area in which 13 rescue members have lost contact; the second group is attempting to reach Rao Trang 4 hydropower plant to save stranded workers, including those from Rao Trang 3 hydropower plant who are sheltering there. Meanwhile, the third will use two helicopters to fly to Thua Thien-Hue for the rescue.

An official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said to Dantri/DTiNews said that the present weather near Rao Trang 3 hydropower plant was quite favourable so it may be suitable for the helicopters to get access to the site.

On Tuesday evening, five workers were found injured at Rao Trang 4 hydropower plant, including three from Rao Trang 3 hydropower plant who had come there for shelter. They were then sent to Binh Dien General Hospital in Huong Tra Town for treatment.

On the same day, three workers were also found dead at Rao Trang 3 hydropower plant after being buried by landslides.  The power plant, which is under construction, is now isolated as roads leading to the plant are blocked after flooding has triggered many landslides.

Rescue teams approach isolated power plants by waterway, road routes

Search and rescue teams are approaching the landslide site at Rao Trang 3 hydropower plant in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue by water and by road on October 14.

The road team, who took the route along Road 71, has come close to the place where the bodies and stranded victims were located. The road has been basically cleared up, while the weather was reported to be favourable on October 14 morning, facilitating the movement of rescue cars.

Meanwhile, the other group deployed by the provincial police is using canoes and boats to cross the Huong Dien hydro-power reservoir to approach the Rao Trang 4 hydropower plant to deliver relief goods and transport stranded workers out of the site.

The Rao Trang 3 and 4 hydropower plants have been isolated due to floods and landslides since October 12. On October 13 evening, Nguyen Dai Thanh, director of the Rao Trang 3 hydropower plant, informed that three deaths linked to the landslides on October 12 were confirmed.

A 21-strong team for search and rescue, including local officials and military, also met with a landslide on their way to the Rao Trang 3 hydropower plant on October 13, leaving 13 missing, while eight others managed to escape.

Besides, 17 workers at the Rao Trang 3 power plant are also missing after the landslide. About 40 workers there have safely moved to the Rao Trang 4 plant. On October 13 evening, a team of the provincial police managed to reach the Rao Trang 4 plant. Five severely injured people were rushed to the hospital. Dtinews/VNA