Many households in the highlands of Nghe An face the risk of serious landslides.

In Long Thang village, Tien Phong commune, Mr. Luong Van Thuy - a local resident shared in a worried mood: "The rain from the beginning of July until now has caused rocks and tree roots from the mountain to fall close to the house. My family had to hire an excavator to scoop up all the rocks and soil that flooded into the stilt house area to avoid danger for family members."

According to the reporter's actual records, in the Long Thang village area, a hill has collapsed nearly 200 meters long, the landslide is only 3-4 meters away from some households' houses. If there continues to be heavy rain, the risk of this mass of rock and soil collapsing is very high.

Ms. Lo Thi Nguyet - Chairman of Tien Phong Commune People's Committee said: "The whole commune currently has 6 points at high risk of landslides, directly affecting 67 households in Long Thang, Huoi Muong, Na Sanh, Muong Hin villages... Since July 1, after operating the two-level government, we have established working groups to inspect and review the geological status at these points. At the same time, we have conducted early warnings and mobilized people to proactively prevent and be ready to evacuate when required."

During this year’s rainy season, Tien Phong commune has seriously implemented the “4 on-site” motto: on-site forces, on-site means, on-site logistics and on-site command. Militia forces and organizations are always on standby, ready to support the evacuation of people and property when there is a warning signal.

Not only Tien Phong, in Thong Thu commune - a border area, there are many residential areas located close to high mountainsides, the landslide situation is also serious. Ms. Vi Thi Tinh, a resident of Muong Piet village, living at the foot of the hill, currently in the red warning area, shared: "Every time it rains heavily, my whole family has to evacuate at night. Not only people but also cows, buffaloes, pigs and chickens have to move to the neighbors' houses to ensure safety. Living like this, no one dares to feel secure."

Mr. Bui Van Hien - Secretary of the Party Committee of Thong Thu commune said: During the flood in July 2024, the whole commune had 79 houses affected by landslides. Of which, 2 houses collapsed completely, 1 house tilted, 2 houses had to be urgently evacuated and 11 other houses had to move people and property to a safe place. The most affected villages include: Tuc Pang, Na Chao - Pieng Van, Muong Cat, Ban Loc, Muong Piet, Muong Phu, Khun Na, Pu Duoc...

Immediately after completing the merger of local authorities, Thong Thu commune quickly developed an urgent natural disaster prevention plan. On-site forces were mobilized to the maximum, risk warning points were established, and the commune government was always ready to respond with the goal of minimizing damage to people and property.

Landslides not only occurred in Tien Phong and Thong Thu communes, but also appeared in many places in Tri Le and Chau Tien communes - where the terrain is high and mountainous, the soil is loose and prone to landslides after prolonged rains. Right before the storm season, the authorities of these communes directed the villages to mobilize militia and youth unions to coordinate with the people to reinforce houses and move furniture and livestock out of high-risk areas. These temporary solutions have contributed to limiting the damage but have not been able to solve the problem at its root.

Faced with the increasing risk of natural disasters, especially during the rainy and stormy season, local authorities have implemented many preventive measures, focusing on checking residential areas along rivers, streams, and locations with steep terrain and weak soil to promptly evacuate people when there are signs of danger. At the same time, propaganda to raise public awareness and early warning have also been stepped up.

However, according to many localities, the current measures are only temporary. In the context of complex natural disasters and increasingly serious impacts, the highland communes of Western Nghe An are in dire need of support from the Central Government to re-plan the population, build safe resettlement areas, invest in anti-landslide works, and help people stabilize their lives in the long term.