Police are searching for the person who spread rumors about the collapse of the Ban Ve hydroelectric dam.
(Baonghean.vn) - Due to rumors of a dam collapse, thousands of people in Tuong Duong district and downstream areas panicked, with some even rushing to the mountains to seek refuge.
On the afternoon of August 31st, Lieutenant Colonel Tran Phuc Tu, Head of the Tuong Duong District Police, stated that his unit had identified several individuals who spread rumors about the collapse of the Ban Ve hydroelectric dam earlier that morning.
“Immediately after the rumors surfaced, we launched an investigation. To date, we have identified several suspected individuals. The unit is currently investigating those who spread the rumors on social media and through word of mouth,” Lieutenant Colonel Tú shared with a reporter from Nghe An Newspaper.
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| Rumors of a dam breaking caused panic among residents, who fled to the mountains for safety. Photo: Dao Tho |
According to the Chief of Police of Tuong Duong District, after identifying those who spread the rumors, the police will investigate the consequences to determine appropriate penalties. "If the consequences of spreading these rumors are deemed serious, criminal charges may be filed. Otherwise, administrative penalties will be imposed," Lieutenant Colonel Tu stated.
Earlier, on the morning of August 31st, numerous Facebook accounts simultaneously spread news of the Ban Ve hydroelectric dam breaking. At the same time, a massive amount of water rushed downstream, causing panic among the residents. Hundreds of people in Tuong Duong district even rushed to the mountains to seek refuge. Many only managed to carry their young children, while others took their belongings and food with them.
However, officials in Tuong Duong district immediately refuted this information. Present at the Ban Ve hydroelectric dam on the morning of August 31st, Mr. Kha Van Ot, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district, stated that there were no signs of any safety issues with the hydroelectric plant. However, the largest flood discharge in history (over 4,200 m³) was reported.3The floodwaters also caused the Ban Ve bridge (Yen Na commune) to break in half. This incident completely isolated Ban Ve. In addition, dozens of houses in the downstream area of Ban Ve were swept away by the floodwaters…
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| The Ban Ve hydroelectric plant is currently releasing water at a record rate due to the massive volume of water flowing in from upstream. Photo: Phuong Tho |
According to Mr. Ta Huu Hung, Deputy Director of Ban Ve Hydropower Plant, the design of the Ban Ve hydropower dam is calculated to withstand a water flow of up to 7,770 cubic meters.3/s along with other conditions, then it becomes unsafe. With the current water flow, this only happens about once every 50 years.
The Ban Ve hydroelectric power plant is a hydroelectric project built on the upper reaches of the Nam Non River (Lam River). The main dam and power plant are located in Ban Ve village, Yen Na commune, Tuong Duong district. This hydroelectric plant has a designed capacity of 320 MW. The dam creates the Ban Ve reservoir, with a surface area of 8,700 km².2This is the largest hydroelectric project in the north-central region. To build this hydroelectric plant, four communes were completely wiped out.
In another development, authorities in Thanh Hoa province are also urgently searching for and prosecuting several individuals who spread rumors on Facebook about the Trung Son hydroelectric dam collapsing on the evening of August 30th. This rumor quickly spread, causing panic among many residents...
