On the afternoon of June 16, a heavy rain lasting more than an hour caused many roads in Hoa Binh city to be deeply flooded. Notably, An Duong Vuong Street, near the foot of Cun slope, suddenly subsided, peeled and cracked the road surface seriously.
According to the reporter's records, the road surface was pushed up to large pieces. The plastic is peeling, with many long cracks, posing a potential risk of accidents for people and vehicles.
Mr. Tran Khac Luu, a resident living near the scene, said: At around 5:00 p.m. on June 16, water from the culvert system refused onto the road surface with great pressure, causing the road surface to swell and then burst.
I thought it was a flash flood. Rushing into the house to prepare room furniture in case they have to evacuate. After the water receded, I saw that the road surface was cracked everywhere, said Mr. Luu.
According to the people, the main reason is that the drainage culvert has been blocked since 2022, when the authorities were upgrading the An Duong Vuong road connecting Cun slope. From there, every time it rains heavily, the water flows down and cannot drain in time, overflowing back into people's houses.
"This situation has been going on for several years now. Every time they meet voters, people make recommendations. We have also submitted a petition to Hoa Binh city, the Department of Transport, now the Department of Construction, requesting repairs. But I have not seen anyone down to work yet, Mr. Luu added.
Mr. Nguyen Van Vuong - the house next to the cracked road surface - said: Every time it rains, people here dare not sleep.
"We were just afraid that the water would suddenly rise, sweeping away both our lives and our property. I hope the government will soon repair the sewers so that people can feel secure," Mr. Vuong shared.
Ms. Tran Thi Loan, living nearly 1km from the subsidence point, said: After heavy rain, mud from the mountain fell and overflowed the road, causing many people to panic.
"At that time, I thought it was a landslide. The mud was flowing loudly, up to the knees," said Ms. Loan while cleaning up.
Talking with reporters, Mr. Nguyen Tuan - Deputy Head of the Department of Infrastructure and Urban Affairs of Hoa Binh City - confirmed that the initial cause was due to a blockage of the drainage system. The flow of rainwater from streams is too large, causing subsidence.
"The culvert at this location was once blocked during the process of upgrading the road. Every year, the area is often flooded. But this is the first time such a serious incident has been recorded. The city has directed the fencing of the dangerous area to ensure safety. The repair takes time and must be done in accordance with the investment procedures, said Mr. Tuan.
Currently, the authorities are urgently surveying. Hoa Binh City will develop a solution to avoid similar incidents from recurring during the rainy season.
