Residents relocated in wake of deadly landslide incident in Hà Giang Province

A passenger car and a four-seater car hit by a severe landslide in Hà Giang Province on Sunday morning. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ GIANG — Forty-six households with more than 170 people in Thượng Mỹ Hamlet, northern mountainous province of Hà Giang, have been relocated from landslide-prone areas after a severe erosion caused a landslide that killed two people on Sunday morning.

The families were evacuated to stay at the hamlet’s community house.

The landslide, reported on National Highway No 2 running through Việt Vinh Commune, Bắc Quang District, left three people missing and injured eight others as of Monday morning, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Eight houses completely collapsed. A passenger car, two trucks, three cars and many motorbikes were pushed down the slope by thousands of cubic metres of rocks and soil.

The eight injured victims are being treated at local hospitals with the support of Bạch Mai Hospital and Việt Nam-Germany Hospital in Hà Nội.

The landslide caused traffic congestion to routes connecting Hà Giang, Tuyên Quang and other neighbouring localities with estimated initial property losses of over VNĐ20 billion (US$813,000).

Hoàng Quang Hùng, Secretary of the Party Committee of Việt Vinh Commune, has warned of more erosion risks as large cracks continue to be reported on the hill in the landslide area, prompting evacuation action.

Local authorities have arranged volunteers to provide food and essential items to the residents, he said. — VNS