The dam failure of Bac Kan Nonferrous Metals Branch in Ban Thi Commune (Cho Don District) occurred in early September. The dam failure affected hundreds of households in Bac Kan and Tuyen Quang provinces, causing them to fear losing their livelihoods. More than 1,000 tons of sludge were swept away by floodwaters, burying thousands of square meters of crops.
Immediately after the incident, hundreds of workers from Bac Kan Non-ferrous Metals Branch were mobilized with equipment to collect sludge spilled into the environment.
It has been more than 3 months since the dam broke, and the lives of local people have gradually stabilized. The fields that were devastated by the mud have begun to be cultivated again. People have started to plant crops and revive their fields.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh (Ban Thi commune, Cho Don district) still remembers clearly the day the dam broke. At that time, there was heavy rain due to storm No. 3, a large amount of sludge poured down, leveling a large area. Many areas of people's crops were completely lost, with serious damage.
"After a long time of overcoming the incident, people's lives have gradually stabilized. At the time of the dam break, my family's crops were buried in mud, and the land had to be treated and renovated. In the areas that were repaired, I replanted vegetables and elephant grass to raise livestock.
Seeing the crops grow well again makes me happy, and people's livelihoods can stabilize again. Most people here depend on agriculture, so when the dam broke, there was a lot of worry," Ms. Thanh confided.
Sharing the same opinion, Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh (Ban Thi commune, Cho Don district) said that his family's life has now returned to normal. The fear of losing his livelihood after the dam break has also gradually subsided.
"When the sludge dam broke, seeing the fields and gardens devastated was also very worrying. The family's economy only depended on a few fields, so when they were buried in mud, they didn't know what to do. Now, all the mud has been collected, and the land has been improved to ensure quality.
After worrying, they can now feel secure to resume farming. After collecting, they also built embankment systems, so they can feel more secure in the upcoming stormy seasons," said Mr. Thanh.
On December 23, speaking with Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Khong Thanh Tiem - Chairman of Ban Thi Commune People's Committee said that immediately after the incident, the locality coordinated with Bac Kan Non-ferrous Metal Company to assess and count the damage. Hundreds of workers focused on collecting the amount of sludge spilled into the environment, and at the same time reported to competent authorities for inspection and handling.
"Up to now, the work of overcoming the consequences has basically stabilized. Households that were seriously affected have been adequately compensated. Some locations where waste collection and treatment were completed have been newly planted with trees and crops," the leader added.
