Ban Ve hydroelectric reservoir bottom exposed, 'oasis' commune Huu Khuong opens road to wharf

Since May, the water level inBan Ve hydroelectric reservoirThe water level in the lake was reduced sharply, at times the water level in the lake was only 1 meter higher than the dead water level. The lake bed dried up in some places, especially in the island commune of Huu Khuong, making it difficult for people to travel, because the road from the villages to the boat dock was muddy and overgrown with trees, and the lake bed was exposed to the hot sun like a desert.

Mr. Lo Van Giap - Chairman of Huu Khuong Commune People's Committee said: In that situation, the local government mobilized hundreds of people along with excavators to open and repair some roads from Xan and Huoi Co villages to the Commune People's Committee and the road from the Commune People's Committee to Con Phen village to the boat dock. The total length of these two roads is more than 3 km, not including the road from Xan and Huoi Co villages to the boat dock which takes more than 1 hour to walk. On this road section, 2 temporary bridges must also be built across deep ravines.

"The funding for road opening and bridge construction is partly supported by Ban Ve Hydropower Company and the locality draws from its reserve fund. In almost every dry season, the locality has to repair the road in the lake bed for travel, but this year the lake bed has shrunk the most, so thepave the waydifficult and more costly. However, after many days of implementation, the roads have now been basically completed, creating favorable conditions for people in the commune to travel," said Mr. Lo Van Giap.

Huu Khuong has 7 villages, with a population of over 2,700 people. Some of them travel mainly by boat. Therefore, when the lake level dropped, it greatly affected the people's travel.