Sludge dam collapse: More than 500 households suffered damage

(Baonghean.vn) - Six days after the dam burst, Chau Cuong and Chau Quang communes have counted the people's losses.

In Chau Quang commune, as of March 15, the Inspection Team of the Commune People's Committee determined that in 4 hamlets of Dong Huong, Quang Huong, Quang Thinh, Hoa Thanh, there were 21 households with losses of dead fish with a quantity of 306 kg; including grass carp, bighead carp and common carp. According to Mr. Tran Van Tuan - Chairman of Chau Quang Commune People's Committee: "This is the number of dead fish, or fish floating on the water surface that were picked up and buried by households; the number of fish currently in the pond has not been determined whether they are still dead or not...".

A household in Chau Quang commune collects dead fish on March 11, 2017. Photo: Nhat Lan.

According to Mr. Tuan, Chau Quang commune has 18 hamlets with 300 hectares of double-crop rice fields; 16 hectares of fish ponds using water from Tong Huong canal and Bai Xoong Ho canal, which have been affected by environmental pollution for many years. Now that the dam containing sludge has broken, the pollution level has increased, so it is recommended that competent authorities consider supporting the people and finding a long-term solution.

In Chau Cuong commune, after the incident of the dam containing sludge breaking, the people were notified not to eat dead fish; not to bathe; not to let buffaloes and cows use the water source at Nam Huong stream and to temporarily close the irrigation canal gates to prevent the water from seeping into the fields and ponds.

Regarding the environmental pollution caused by the dam break in Chau Cuong commune, the commune government reported that 700,816 m2 of rice fields of 481 households were affected by pollution; 40,450 m2 of corn and crops of 61 households were affected by pollution; and 17,830 m2 of fish ponds of 91 households were affected by pollution. The people whose rice fields, corn, crops and fish ponds were affected by pollution were in Ha Dong, Muong Ham, Ban Nhang, Ban Tham, Ban Nhoi, Ban Nguong and Ban Nha hamlets.

Dead fish in ponds in Chau Quang commune were collected and buried by local people. Photo by Nhat Lan.

In Chau Thanh commune, the area where the sludge dam incident occurred, according to Mr. Ha Dang Ninh - Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, an inspection is currently underway to report to the District People's Committee.

On March 15, after confirming the amount of 306 kg of dead fish in Chau Quang commune, Nghe Tinh Non-ferrous Metal Joint Stock Company also paid damages to 21 households at a unit price of 80,000 VND/kg.

Nhat Lan - Duc Chuyen