Anxious by the banks of the Hieu River
Every rainy season, dozens of households in Ban village (formerly Minh Tien village), Chau Tien commune, live in constant fear of landslides along the Hieu River, threatening their homes, land, and even National Highway 48. Although for many years the villagers have reinforced the banks with gabions and planted bamboo to prevent soil erosion, these are only temporary solutions. What the villagers most hope for now is the prompt investment in building a sturdy embankment to protect their lives, property, and transportation infrastructure.
A constant worry every rainy season.
In recent years, every time the rainy season arrives, the residents of Ban village (formerly Minh Tien village cluster), Chau Tien commune, live in a state of anxiety due to the increasingly serious erosion of the Hieu River banks. The residential area, situated along approximately 1.8 km of the riverbank, has been continuously affected by heavy rains and strong currents for many years, especially during periods when the hydroelectric dam regulates and releases water, causing the riverbanks to further erode. Many erosion points have encroached close to National Highway 48 – a vital transportation route through the area – posing a significant safety risk.
Visiting this area in early August, it's easy to spot sections of the Hieu River bank deeply eroded after years of heavy rains and floods. Although trees have covered many sections of the bank, partially concealing the erosion, many areas continue to be encroached upon by the water. In some places, the riverbank is only a few meters from people's houses, creating a constant fear of landslides whenever there is prolonged heavy rain or the river level rises.
Standing on the riverbank, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Quang, a resident who has lived in this area for many years, could not hide his worry. According to Mr. Quang, the erosion has been occurring for many years but has not yet been completely resolved. Every year, the river encroaches a little more, washing away more land.
"The dry season may seem normal, but just a few heavy rains upstream cause the water level to rise very quickly. Each time this happens, the villagers lose sleep and appetite. We just hope for a sturdy embankment to be built soon so we can live in peace," Mr. Quang shared.
It's not just Mr. Quang's family; many other households share the same sentiment. Over the years, the villagers have proactively contributed their labor and resources to reinforce the riverbanks in various ways, such as stacking gabions and planting bamboo along the banks, hoping the roots will hold the soil and reduce the force of the current. However, these are only temporary solutions. With increasingly frequent and extreme rainstorms, constantly changing river flows, and a continuing risk of landslides, the people live in constant anxiety.
Mr. Nguyen Tien Hung, Chairman of the Chau Tien Commune People's Committee, said: "In Minh Tien village (formerly), now Ban village, there are currently about 56 households directly affected by landslides. Many households are located right on the riverbank, while others are only one or two rows of houses away from the river. Not only residential areas, but also many locations along National Highway 48 - a vital transportation route connecting the western region of Nghe An province - have experienced landslides right at the road edge."
According to Mr. Hung, whenever the rainy season approaches, the People's Committee of the commune develops a response plan; regularly dispatches forces to inspect and review households in areas at risk of landslides, closely monitors the water level of the Hieu River to promptly warn and relocate people to safe places, minimizing damage to people and property.
"However, those are only temporary solutions. To address the root cause, the locality urgently needs investment in building an embankment to prevent erosion along the Hieu River," Mr. Hung emphasized.
Investment in an embankment to prevent landslides is needed soon.
According to our investigation, the erosion of the Hieu River bank in the Ban village section has been ongoing for many years. Previously, the Chau Tien Commune People's Committee had repeatedly petitioned the Quy Chau District People's Committee (formerly) and relevant agencies to invest in the construction of an embankment to prevent erosion, in order to protect the residential area and ensure the safety of National Highway 48.
On January 27, 2026, the Irrigation Sub-Department issued Official Letter No. 33/CCTL-QLĐĐ acknowledging the concerns of residents of Minh Tien village (now Ban village) regarding the erosion of the Hieu River banks, which affected their lives and threatened the safety of National Highway 48. Based on this, the Irrigation Sub-Department advised the Department of Agriculture and Environment to request the Chau Tien Commune People's Committee to report to the Provincial People's Committee for consideration of the investment plan to build an embankment to prevent erosion in this area.
According to Mr. Nguyen Tien Hung, the local authorities have identified this as an urgent project, but it is a project with high technical requirements, exceeding the implementation capacity of the commune level. Therefore, the local authorities have requested the Provincial People's Committee to assign a specialized agency with sufficient capacity to carry out the project in order to ensure quality and long-term effectiveness.
Following the opinion of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the People's Committee of the commune continues to request the competent authorities to allocate resources soon to implement the project.
"A few months ago, the Provincial Project Management Board for Investment and Construction of Agricultural and Rural Development Projects also came to conduct a field survey. The people and local authorities are all very eager for the project to be implemented soon so that the people can feel secure and stable in their lives," Mr. Hung said.
Based on field surveys, investing in the embankment not only aims to protect approximately 60 households living in landslide-prone areas but also contributes to protecting National Highway 48 – a vital transportation artery in western Nghe An province. If landslides continue to worsen, the risk to this road will increase, leading to numerous negative consequences for transportation, socio-economic development, and disaster prevention and control.
Mr. Vu Quy Phat, Deputy Director of the Project Management Board for Investment and Construction of Agricultural and Rural Development Projects in Nghe An province, said that the unit had conducted inspections and surveys of the landslide area. Currently, the Provincial People's Committee is considering the investment policy for a project to build an embankment along the Hieu River section through Chau Tien commune to ensure safety for residential areas and transportation infrastructure. After the policy is approved, the relevant agencies will continue to study, determine funding sources, and implement the steps according to regulations.
This is positive news for the people of Ban village after many years of anticipation. A sturdy embankment is now not only a solution to prevent landslides and protect nearly 60 households and National Highway 48, but also a foundation for people to feel secure in their land, stabilize their lives, and minimize damage caused by increasingly extreme natural disasters.
