The flash flood on the night of September 29 caused many items of the Dong Dang - Tra Linh project, the camp, and the project to be damaged, the service road and temporary bridge were washed away, and some sections of the project were seriously eroded.
In recent days, at the Dong Dang - Tra Linh expressway construction site, the sound of excavators and rolling cars has been ringing again after three days of stagnation due to the storm.
The muddy, scattered areas and concrete blocks are being cleared. Engineers and workers urgently re-established the service road, reinforced the slope, and cleared the silted drainage system.
"We have just suffered a huge loss, but we cannot stop. Three of our colleagues died in the flash flood on the night of September 29.
As soon as the news was received, the Group's leaders went to the scene that night, coordinated with the authorities, mobilized all search forces, including flycams and motor vehicles," said Mr. Nguyen Quang Huy, General Director of Deo Ca Group - the investment and project management unit.
At noon on October 2, the bodies of the last unfortunate victim, Ms. D.T.H (Ninh Binh) with Mr. N.V.T (Hanoi) and Mr. L.L.A.T (Thai Nguyen) were found after three consecutive days of searching.
After completing the procedures, the victims were taken back to their hometowns for burial according to local customs.
Mr. Huy said that all construction units are currently overcoming difficulties, restoring construction, and making up for the progress after the storm.
According to the project enterprise, more than 2,500 workers and 1,200 equipment and machines have been mobilized again.
The construction units are re-establishing the service road, building temporary bridges, adding drainage ditches, and at the same time making a plan to make up for the progress to ensure the completion of the technical route opening goal in 2025.
In particular, during the past three consecutive months of floods, the Dong Dang - Tra Linh project site has been cut off many times, causing disruptions in material transportation.
However, according to Mr. Huy, Deo Ca Group is still determined to shorten the progress by nearly a year compared to the original contract (December 31, 2026).
Not only Dong Dang - Tra Linh, on the Huu Nghi - Chi Lang expressway, the weather has gradually improved.
According to the latest report, the entire project currently maintains more than 2,650 personnel, 1,200 equipment, and deploys 141 construction teams. The accumulated output value reached more than 1,930 billion VND, equivalent to 45-50% of the contract volume.
The EC01, EC02, and EC03 packages are all being accelerated, of which the EC03 package (km30+087 - Km45+130) has the highest rate with 79% of the plan, many bridge, underpass, and box culvert items have been completed over 90%.
To ensure safety during the rainy season, the project enterprise has reinforced the slope system, increased drainage and prevented landslides in areas with complex terrain.
In addition, state- supported capital and equity have also been disbursed on schedule, with more than VND1,164 billion of budget capital and VND713 billion of investor capital reached the contractors.
The two billion-dong expressway projects being implemented in two northern border provinces, Huu Nghi - Chi Lang (over VND 14,000 billion) and Dong Dang - Tra Linh (over VND 22,000 billion), are important linkages connecting the North - South expressway with Huu Nghi international border gate, opening the Lang Son - Cao Bang - Guangxi economic corridor (China).
A representative of the Lang Son Provincial Construction Investment Project Management Board said that the site clearance work for the Huu Nghi - Chi Lang expressway is also being vigorously implemented to ensure clean land for the project.
On the landslide-prone mountain slopes, thousands of workers are still working hard day and night with efforts so that by the end of 2025, these two billion-dollar expressways will officially open the route, connecting the overlapping mountain ranges of the Northeast region.
