Traffic temporarily suspended due to subsidence on Highway 16 in Que Phong

Due to the impact of heavy rain, in the past few days, on the section Km264+300 - Km264+700/National Highway 16 in Chau Kim commune, Que Phong district, a landslide occurred, dragging along the roadbed and surface for a length of about 60m, seriously affecting traffic on the route.

At 5:00 p.m. on July 18, 2024, the negative slope landslide at Km264+700/QL16 caused the road surface to sink by about 2.3m, damaging the reinforced longitudinal ditch system and seriously affecting traffic safety on this section. The negative slope landslide at Km264+700 was very complicated, causing a large amount of soil and rock to flow down to Km264+300, many cracks appeared and widened, some large rocks were separated and rolled on the positive slope at Km264+300, posing a risk to people and property in this area.

To ensure traffic safety on the above route, the Department of Transport issued Document No. 2688/SGTVT-BQLBT dated July 18 regarding the decision to close the road and temporarily suspend the circulation of all vehicles through the route Km264+300 - Km264+700/QL16 from 5:30 p.m. on July 18, 2024.

Traffic organization plan for traffic from Kim Son town to Chau Thon commune, Que Phong district and vice versa is as follows:

From Kim Son town, follow QL16 towards QL48 (or DT544B towards QL48), continue moving along QL48, at Km91+900/QL48 turn right onto DT544, at Km21+00/DT544 turn right following QL48D, at Km158+00 continue following DT544 (old) to Km270+100/QL16 (Chau Thon commune) and vice versa.

The Department of Transport requested the People's Committee of Que Phong district to urgently notify and evacuate households and assets within the landslide-affected area to a safe place.

Direct relevant communes, district radio and television stations, and grassroots loudspeaker systems to announce and propagate about the landslide incident and the above traffic organization plan so that people in the area and vehicles participating in traffic on the route can know and implement.

Direct Chau Kim and Chau Thon communes and functional forces of the district to coordinate with units of the Department of Transport to organize traffic flow at checkpoints to guide and regulate traffic, ensuring security and order in the area.

According to Nghe An Newspaper reporters on the night of July 18, authorities set up a barrier station to absolutely prohibit vehicles from going up and down the subsidence point.

Mr. Ngo Van Tan, an officer of Que Phong Traffic Management Department, said that immediately after receiving the document to close National Highway 16 from the Department of Transport, the unit coordinated with functional agencies and local authorities to set up barriers and be on duty 24/7. All vehicles passing through here were guided to take another route to ensure safety.