Worried about dozens of landslides in Ky Son

Uneasy when the rainy season comes

In early August 2024, the weather in the remote district of Ky Son was sunny in the morning and rainy in the afternoon, the air was hot and stuffy. Local people said that this was the beginning of the rainy season. Moving from Muong Xen town to Muong Tip commune, along the asphalted road to the center of the commune, in addition to the landslides from the 2023 rainy season that had been handled, there were many new landslides. Many sections of the ditch were buried by rocks sliding down the mountain, many sections of the road were covered with rolling rocks on the surface.

Meeting a man named Hoa Ba Nuu who was traveling from Vang Phao village, Muong Tip commune to Muong Xen town, he said that at a fairly large landslide point in Xop Tip village, when it rains, the villagers do not dare to go through this section of the road, for fear of rocks falling from the mountain. "There are days when it is sunny but sometimes there are still small rocks falling from the top of the mountain, it is very scary. But besides going by river, this is the only road to go to Muong Xen, so even though we are afraid, we still have to go when necessary. Going by detour is too far, and there are also many other landslides" - Mr. Hoa Ba Nuu added.

Providing more information about the landslide situation, an officer from the Ky Son District Project Management Board said that the authorities always recommend that people passing through this route wear full helmets to prevent injuries if rocks fall on them. At the same time, it is recommended that people avoid passing through when it rains. If the rain continues for a long time, some areas at high risk of landslides will be closed to ensure people's safety.

The leader of Muong Tip Commune People's Committee said that along the road from Muong Xen town to Muong Tip, there were 8 landslides in the villages: Huoi Khoi, Cha Lat, Xop Phe, Xop Tip, Vang Phao, Na My, Ta Do and Pha Noi. In addition, there were 2 landslides on the riverbank in Xop Tip and Na My villages. "All 8 landslides on the Muong Xen - Ta Do road are located in Muong Tip commune, many of which occur frequently, very dangerous for road users. We are very worried, sending people to regularly monitor the situation to promptly warn people", Mr. Moong Van Kham - Vice Chairman of Muong Tip Commune People's Committee shared.

In addition to Muong Tip, Ta Ca commune is also one of the high-risk locations affected by natural disasters when the rainy season comes, especially Hoa Son village. In early August 2024, we returned to Hoa Son village, where a terrible flash flood occurred in October 2022, sweeping away dozens of houses and killing one person. Although people have repaired and rebuilt their houses or built temporary houses to live in, traces of the haunting flash flood still remain on many walls of houses here.

Ms. Vi Thi Huong, a resident whose house is near the entrance of Hoa Son village, said, “Whenever it rains, I can’t sleep because I’m scared, especially at night. I always have bags in my house with necessary things, so that when it rains too much, the water rises, and the flood comes, I can evacuate in time. But last year’s flood washed away everything in my house, leaving nothing behind,” Ms. Huong confided. Then, she pointed to the mud stains still imprinted on the wall of her house, saying, “That year’s flood water rose up to here, up to my waist, and now the traces of rising water are still there, making me scared every time I see them.”

In Ta Ca commune, there are currently 4 locations with continued landslides and 1 location at risk of landslides. For example, recently, the road from Binh Son 2 village, Ta Ca commune to Dong Duoi village, Tay Son commune, has experienced landslides affecting 6 households with 25 people. Or along the road from the welcome gate of Hoa Son village to the road to the production area of ​​Hoa Son village, the road and 12 houses of the people have also been damaged and cracked and need to be relocated to another safe location.

Secretary of the Party Committee of Huoi Tu Commune, Denh Ba Long, said that in the commune, there are currently 12 households with 61 people whose houses are at risk of collapsing when the rainy season comes. Specifically, that is the location at the end of the road from the Central Village of Huoi Tu Commune to Muong Long. Here, on the top of the mountain, a fairly deep crack has appeared running along the top. The houses of 12 households are located on the mountainside right below the crack, and for the past few years, the land has been sliding down, sinking several dozen centimeters each year. Currently, 2 households have moved to other places. The remaining households have not found land to live, so they are still clinging on, but they are worried and restless. In the long run, if they continue to stay here, it will be very dangerous" - Mr. Denh Ba Long said.

Many other residential areas in Ky Son are also threatened when they are located on the route of landslides and positive slope landslides such as: 17 households with 91 people in Son Ha village, Ta Ca commune and 94 households with 455 people in Huoi Giang 3 village on the Muong Xen - Tay Son route; 13 households with 62 people in Ba village and Huoi Tho village, Huu Kiem commune; 7 locations threatened with positive and negative slope landslides in Na Loi commune...

Monitor and proactively develop response plans

According to statistics from the People's Committee of Ky Son district, as of June 2024, the district had 20 locations where landslides had occurred and 13 other locations threatened with landslides; 7 locations of riverbank landslides and 2 locations threatened with riverbank landslides. The People's Committee of Ky Son district, together with the authorities of communes and towns, has developed plans to monitor, respond to and gradually overcome the consequences.

For example, at landslide sites in Muong Tip commune, the district People's Committee has placed warning signs at sites without people's houses and instructed the commune and village authorities to prepare plans to evacuate people in case of heavy rain and risk of landslides. At the same time, they are still continuing to clear rocks and soil, and clear ditches at landslide sites. For the two riverbank sites that were eroded in Na My and Xop Tip villages, which affected 47 households and 185 people, they are currently building embankments to prevent landslides and are ready to evacuate people in case of heavy rain.

In addition to households, many public works such as headquarters and schools in Ky Son are also threatened when the flood season comes, including an existing commune police headquarters (Ta Ca); Tien Tieu Kindergarten and Primary School, Nam Can Commune with 7 classrooms (7 teachers, 59 students) need to be relocated. However, the district currently has no effective solution due to lack of funding and land fund to implement.

Mr. Tho Ba Re - Vice Chairman of Ky Son District People's Committee said that not only in Muong Tip commune, dozens of landslides and landslide threats in the district have been counted and reported to superiors, and at the same time, directed regular monitoring and response plans. In particular, requiring forces and authorities at the commune and village levels to grasp weather information, monitor developments at vulnerable locations to report and handle promptly. Along with that, the district also uses funding sources from programs and projects to gradually overcome landslides with the motto of prioritizing vulnerable locations that threaten to have a major impact, speeding up construction progress before the rainy and stormy season arrives.