The landslide occurred on Tuesday morning inside Chí Thạnh Railway Tunnel, covering part of the tunnel. — VNA/VNS Photo

PHÚ YÊN — The Ministry of Transport says that provided the remains favourable, the landslide repairs at Chí Thạnh Railway Tunnel in the south-central province of Phú Yên can be completed quickly and the tunnel reopened within the next three days.

Repairs are underway at the Chí Thạnh tunnel, with nearly 100 workers actively pumping concrete to reinforce the landslide points, while no new soil and rock displacements have been observed inside the tunnel.

Speaking at the on-site inspection on Thursday, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyễn Danh Huy stated that Chí Thạnh Tunnel and other tunnels in the central region were built over a hundred years ago and have deteriorated.

However, due to the lack of investment funds, repairs and renovation of the tunnel faces many difficulties.

The cause of the landslide at Chí Thạnh Railway Tunnel has been identified as complicated geology and loose structures, while a road on top of the tunnel has caused structural damage.

Heavy rainfalls have reduced the physical and mechanical properties of the soil, triggering the landslide along a 325m railway tunnel section in Tuy An District and disrupting the North-South rail services.

The Ministry of Transport has instructed the Project Management Board No85, the project owner and the construction unit to closely coordinate with the Việt Nam Railway Corporation to carry out the repairs.

Construction forces must remain on-site around the clock to quickly address the landslide, ensuring worker safety throughout the process.

Despite the challenging conditions, repair work at Chí Thạnh Railway Tunnel is making significant progress.

At 10.30 am on Tuesday, a landslide occurred inside the tunnel, causing 30 cu.m of soil and rock to fall onto the track, covering part of the tunnel.

No trains were damaged, as the tunnel was already closed for reinforcement when the landslide occurred. Passengers were taken by bus to bypass the affected area.

Previously, the Bãi Gió railway tunnel in the Đèo Cả area of south-central province Khánh Hoà experienced a serious landslide, causing disruptions on the North-South railway route for nearly ten days. — VNS