Fourteen houses and two house floors in My Hoi Dong Commune, Cho Moi District of Mekong Delta Province of An Giang fell into the Hau River on Saturday morning due to a landslide, panicking local residents.

Houses collapse after landslide.

A road connecting My Hoi Dong Commune and Nhơn Mỹ Commune was also damaged and isolated.

The 70-metre long landslide caused estimated total damages of VNĐ8.8 billion (US$391,000). There have been no deaths.

The provincial People’s Council issued a state of emergency in the affected area along the river.

Truong Trung Lap, Chairman of Cho Moi District’s People’s Committee said that local forces have been mobilised round the clock to follow the landslide, ensure traffic order, evacuate residents and their properties out of the landslide area.

A My Hoi Dong primary school announced it would close today and tomorrow.

An alternative road to replace the damaged road is set to be built.

According to Lam Quang Thi, deputy chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, local authorities allocated nearly VND3 billion ($133,300) to the households whose houses were damages or at risk from the landslide.

An Giang Province’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment forecasted on Saturday that the landslide would cover 260m.

The department proposed local authorities ban vehicles on the trans-communal road, relocate residents living in areas of risk and update locals on the situation.

The department also proposed dismantling houses constructed on the river bank to reduce weight on the road.

The locality should relocate residents, roads and infrastructure far from area prones to landslide, the department recommended.

For the long term, the provincial People’s Committee and Construction Department are in charge of helping the affected people find new accommodation.

The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is responsible for selecting consultants to review and propose effective measures to address the landslide.  

Fire destroys 36ha of cajuput forest

Rescue forces extinguish the flames.  

Some 36 ha of cajuput forest in Tri Ton District of An Giang Province was destroyed by a major fire, Lý Vĩnh Định, head of the district’s forest protection station said on Saturday.

The damaged area included 34 ha of secondary cajuput forest and 2 ha of primary forest.

The fire started last Friday noon when residents disposed of cigarettes near the forest. The flames then spread to the forest.

Besides cajuput area, more than 75 ha of floristic composition was razed.

The fire is being further investigated.

VNS