The whole family was crushed overnight
On the night of July 13, when the entire mountain hamlet was preparing to fall asleep, the hill behind the house of Mr. Vu Van Hiep (born in 1989), in Khe De village, Xuan Ai commune, Lao Cai province (formerly Vien Son commune, Van Yen district, Yen Bai province) suddenly collapsed.
The landslide completely buried 2 houses, causing 2 victims, Ms. Vu Thi T (born in 1998 - Mr. Hiep's wife) and her youngest daughter, Vu Khanh T. (born in 2020) to die and 3 others to be injured.
In the early morning of July 14, crossing the poor rural roads on the hills and mountain ranges, reporters were present in a small hamlet of Xuan Ai commune (formerly Vien Son commune). In a sad atmosphere, the people here are still not afraid after having just experienced a horrifying night.
After being quiet next to his coffin, Mr. Vu Van Hiep (Ms. T's husband) shared that because of his job as a driver, he is often away from home. "At more than 9:00 p.m. on July 13, my wife and I were still talking when I was at the gas station, preparing to return from Km237.
About an hour later, when I was at Km171, Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway, I received information about the landslide. At that time, my limbs were as dead and departed, I had to ask you to take them home but no miracle happened," Mr. Hiep said in tears.
Mr. Vu Van Loi (born in 1977, in Khe Que village, Xuan Ai commune) - Ms. T's father also said that Mr. Hiep and Ms. T got married in 2016 and had 3 children together, of which T was the youngest.
"A few years of hard work and saving, the couple just built a house at the end of 2024. Last year, storm No. 3 buried the house next to T's house, killing one person. Worried, the couple just widened the slope to the back 20m deep. Who would have thought such a disaster would come down...", Mr. Loi choked up.
According to Mr. Loi, a few days ago, after receiving warnings from the authorities about the risk of landslides, the family did not dare to return home. Who would have thought to take advantage of the sunny day, the mother and child would have an accident when they returned home? Fortunately, the two older children still stayed to play with their grandparents and escaped death.
Rescuing parents and children trapped in the rubble
As a witness to the landslide from the beginning, Mr. Nguyen Van Binh (in Khe Que village, Xuan Ai commune) confided that his feet were in pain and trembling when he witnessed the hill suddenly falling down and burying two houses in the blink of an eye.
Mr. Binh said: When he heard the noise, some households shouted to each other "let's slide, run away", when he heard that, everyone panicked and ran out of the house, only in time to see the house of Ms. Vu Thi T and Ms. Bui Thi V A (born in 2003) buried in a pile of rocks and soil.
Meanwhile, Mr. Doan Thanh Nam (in Khe Que village, Xuan Ai commune) said that immediately after the landslide occurred, the villagers shouted to search for the missing people; and reported to the authorities.
In the area of Ms. Vu Thi V.A's house, people discovered her still lying on the bed, scattered with rocks and soil on the outer edge of the landslide site.
Ms. A is being caught almost personally in the rubble, and her two young children, Vu Minh L (born in 2021) and Vu Tu U (born in 2024), are being protected by their mother in their arms and have minor scratches.
Immediately, people took the mother and child to the commune health center for examination and first aid, then transferred them to the Van Yen regional health center for treatment. Currently, the health of all 3 is stable.
According to Mr. Luu Trung Kien, Secretary of the Xuan Ai Commune Party Committee, on July 14, the locality supported the families in distress to take care of the victims' funeral arrangements and treat the injured...
In the immediate future, it is necessary to evacuate all people in the area at risk of landslides, seal and limit travel through this area to ensure safety.
