The flood next year is higher and longer than last year
As Lao Dong Newspaper has reported on the situation of the Lo River section passing through Tuyen Quang province being silently encroached upon for a long time, causing the riverbed to shrink. It is worth mentioning that the encroachment with a large area is mainly caused by companies and organizations.
The encroachment of the Lo River leading to the flow being blocked has seriously affected the drainage capacity in the rainy and flood season. This is also identified as one of the main factors causing the complicated flooding situation in Ha Giang 1 and Ha Giang 2 wards in recent times.
From the end of September to the beginning of October 2025, Ha Giang 1 and Ha Giang 2 wards had to endure severe floods and flooding lasting for more than 1 week, the Lo River water reached above alarm level 3 by about 2.66m, higher than the flood that was considered historic in 2024.
Recalling the historic flood, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh (Ha Giang 2 ward) said that the rapidly rising water level made many people unable to react in time. At that time, the entire central area was submerged in floodwaters, causing damage to many properties.
Natural disasters are due to nature but also have a part of human impact. I have never witnessed such a rapid and large flood. The consequence from the narrowing of the Lo River is clear. The Lo River flows across the central area. When floods rush in quickly, the narrowing of the river has caused the water to rise suddenly, the drainage capacity is no longer as before," Ms. Thanh assessed.
Sharing the same view, Mr. Trieu Van Hung (Ha Giang 2 ward) said that encroaching works have greatly affected the natural flow of the Lo River. The recent floods have swept away many encroached fields, before the floods, the riverbed was even narrower.
Natural disasters and floods are becoming more and more severe, we are worried that the flood situation will prolong and become more serious every rainy and flood season as the Lo River is increasingly narrowed due to encroachment that is not handled and thoroughly overcome," Mr. Hung worried.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Tuyen Quang province, the historic flood in early October 2025 in the central area of Ha Giang 1, Ha Giang 2 wards and downstream areas was caused by encroachment on the Lo River bed and flood drainage corridor for a long time.
There is also a reason from the fact that upstream hydropower plants continuously discharge floodwaters in a short time, causing water to flow back quickly with a large flow.
Also according to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tuyen Quang province, through inspection, the Lo River bed area in the center of Ha Giang 1 and Ha Giang 2 wards has an average cross-section of about 40 - 60m. When floods occur, the current state of the riverbed has expanded to 60 - 80m.
When the riverbed is encroached upon, the flow cross-section is no longer guaranteed, and the natural drainage capacity is reduced. Floodwater is accumulated, causing river water levels to suddenly increase in a short time, causing widespread flooding.
Is there helplessness in the face of violations?
In fact, violations of encroachment and illegal construction of works into the Lo River, blocking the flow, have been going on for many years. The violations have been pointed out, but the handling of the functional agencies of the old Ha Giang province (now Tuyen Quang province) is considered lacking decisiveness, and that is why the violating works still exist leisurely.
According to PV's investigation, the factory area of Dong Tung Gas Trading and Service Production Co., Ltd. (Dong Tung Gas Company) in Vi Xuyen commune has an encroached area of nearly 500m. In August 2018, this unit was fined 55 million VND by the Ha Giang Department of Construction Inspectorate, requesting the dismantling of encroached works.
Following that, in May 2019, the Chairman of Ha Giang Provincial People's Committee issued a document requesting Dong Tung Gas Company to dismantle all concrete embankments and encroached areas to restore the original state to the Lo River, ensuring flood drainage during the rainy and flood season. This must be completed before May 30, 2019.
However, up to now, this unit has only paid fines and dismantled the embankment to the foot of the embankment. The factories and production lines have not been dismantled by Dong Tung Gas Company as required. Gas gathering and transshipment activities in this area are still taking place normally.
Similarly, Hung Phung Concrete and Construction Joint Stock Company encroached on the Lo River for nearly 1,600m2 to take land to serve the mixing station. The landfill encroachment has narrowed the Lo River by about 20m. With such a large encroachment area, but in 2018, this unit was only fined...3 million VND and requested to dismantle encroaching works.
However, just like Dong Tung Gas Company, up to now, Hung Phung Concrete and Construction Joint Stock Company has only complied with paying fines, has not relocated, dug up soil, surplus materials poured into encroachment, and restored the original state to the Lo River.
At the static parking lot of Quy Linh Urban Investment and Development Joint Stock Company, the area of land occupied and leveled for site clearance was determined to be about 20,000m2 and has lasted since 2010. Construction and leveling activities have not been licensed, and there are no legal documents proving land allocation and lease of land.
Recently, at a meeting with relevant departments and agencies on handling violations of encroachment on the Lo River, Mr. Phan Huy Ngoc - Chairman of Tuyen Quang Provincial People's Committee said that the encroachment of the Lo River hindering flow is one of the causes of flooding in Ha Giang 1 and Ha Giang 2 wards in October 2025.
The Chairman of Tuyen Quang Provincial People's Committee has assigned the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to preside over the inter-sectoral inspection team to inspect locations that are encroaching on the Lo River flow. At the same time, it is requested to strictly handle the situation of illegal and improper discharge.
