Overcoming landslides and preventing natural disasters in mountainous areas

The project to build a dike to prevent landslides on the banks of Ha stream, Ha village, Son Ha commune (now Tam Lu commune) was accelerated by the contractor.

For many years, 60 households in Ha village, Tam Lu commune living along the banks of Ha stream have always been in a state of anxiety and worry when the rainy and stormy season comes. Because when the stream water rises and flows rapidly, it can cause landslides, sweeping away people and property of the people. In December 2024, with the provincial budget reserve and other legally mobilized sources, the project to prevent landslides on the banks of Ha stream, Ha village, Son Ha commune (now Tam Lu commune) was implemented. After completion and put into use, the project will ensure the lives, property, and stabilize the lives of 60 households, 320 people and over 10 hectares of rice fields and crops of the village. The Ha stream embankment project is 1,239m long and is expected to be put into use in December 2025. Currently, the contractor has completed about 85% of the work required.

Mr. Lo Van Cong, Ha village, Tam Lu commune, said: "During the rainy and stormy season, the rising stream water threatens the lives and property of the people. With the attention of the State, the Ha stream embankment project has been implemented. Currently, the contractor is speeding up the construction progress of the project, and everyone in the village is happy and excited."

Mr. Pham Ba Chien, Chairman of Tam Lu Commune People's Committee, said: "The Ha stream embankment project plays an important role in the socio -economic development of Tam Lu commune. Therefore, the locality has done a good job of propaganda and raising people's awareness. At the same time, it has done a good job of site clearance; coordinated with the construction unit to resolve difficulties and problems to speed up the project's construction progress."

In Thiet Ong commune, due to the impact of storms and rains in 2024, Lung Dac hill in Khung village collapsed, threatening the lives and property of some households in the village. With the support of the provincial budget and the mobilized counterpart budget of the district, the project to handle the landslide of Lung Dac hill was implemented from January 2025.

“The Ba Thuoc Area Construction Investment Project Management Board has coordinated with the locality to mobilize people to support and promptly clear the site for the contractor to carry out construction. Arrange officers and engineers to go to the construction site to direct and supervise the technical and quality of each project item. Direct the contractor to mobilize human and material resources; have proactive solutions to overcome difficulties such as: some construction materials are scarce, prices are high, the ground is weak due to heavy rain in the landslide treatment area... Speed up the synchronous construction progress of Lung Dac hill landslide treatment items such as breaking rocks, dumping landslides, reinforcing landslide areas... By mid-July 2025, the construction unit has basically completed the workload according to the contract. It is expected that by the end of July 2025, the construction unit will complete the Lung Dac hill landslide treatment project and put it into use earlier than planned (according to the plan, the Lung Dac hill landslide treatment will be completed by January 2026). "The project's implementation will help protect the lives and property of many households in Khung village and ensure traffic safety on National Highway 217 through Thiet Ong commune," said Mr. Hoang Tuan Anh, Director of the Ba Thuoc Area Construction Investment Project Management Board.

According to the report of the People's Committees of the communes, currently on the rivers and streams in the mountainous areas, there are 58 locations where riverbank and stream bank erosion is taking place, mainly concentrated on the Ma River. In the mountainous areas of the province, there are dozens of communes in the mountainous areas with a high to very high risk of landslides.

To proactively overcome landslides, riverbank and stream bank erosion, especially landslides caused by floods caused by storms No. 3 and No. 4 in 2024, the Irrigation Sub-Department (Department of Agriculture and Environment) has advised the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to announce 13 emergency situations regarding landslides, riverbank and coastal erosion. The Department of Finance has arranged funds for localities to immediately overcome the consequences of natural disasters. In addition, for the remaining riverbank and stream bank erosion locations, the Irrigation Sub-Department and the Department of Agriculture and Environment have advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue a Plan to implement the Project on preventing and combating riverbank and coastal erosion until 2030 in Thanh Hoa province.

Currently, there is no technology to predict natural disasters such as flash floods and landslides, only warning bulletins. Therefore, to ensure safety against landslides and flash floods, prevention is the most effective solution. In the immediate future, sectors and localities need to review all areas at high risk of flash floods, landslides, and flooding along rivers and streams, to adjust and update disaster response plans, especially appropriate evacuation and relocation plans; ensuring the safety of people's lives. Localities assigned to implement projects to arrange, reorganize, and stabilize residents need to focus on speeding up the implementation progress, ensuring that people are brought to safe places as soon as possible. Strictly manage the construction of houses and infrastructure, especially residential areas and traffic works, and overcome the situation of building houses and works in areas at risk of landslides, encroaching on riverbeds and streams, and cutting down slopes to build works and houses, and illegally exploiting resources and minerals, which increases the risk of natural disasters.

Article and photos: Manh Hai

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/khac-phuc-sat-lo-dat-phong-chong-thien-tai-khu-vuc-mien-nui-255881.htm