A sewer line of an apatite factory in northern Lao Cai Province broke on Wednesday, flooding some local households and their crops.

Water and mud from the broken sewer floods many houses. – Photo laocai.gov.vn

The incident occurred at around 8.30am, with mud and water flowing into the low-lying area, submerging houses, crops and fishponds of 54 local residents in Dong Tuyen Commune.

No loss of human life was reported.

Some 84,000cu.m of mud and water flew into the low-lying area at a speed of 30cu.m per second, according to local authorities, who promptly evacuated affected residents to safer areas.

The Apatite Viet Nam Ltd. Co, owner of the apatite plant, mobilised forces to cover the broken part. It took some four hours for them to control the water flow. The incident was initially believed to be caused by the breaking of a cement pillar of the sewer.

At a meeting held between local authorities, the company and local residents on the same day, vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Ngoc Hung requested the company to compensate the affected residents and recover the incident’s consequences. — VNS