People are worried because the road surface suddenly collapsed deeply
The subsidence incident on the inter-communal road passing through Thach Tan village, Le Thuy commune, Quang Tri province occurred at noon on July 27. According to records, the subsidence point is located along a branch of the Kien Giang River, extending about 60m. About half of the road surface subsided vertically towards the riverbank, revealing layers of soil and rock below. At the deepest location, the subsidence is more than 2m. Many new cracks continue to appear around the area, raising concerns about the risk of widespread subsidence and landslides.
Living right next to the area where the incident occurred, Mr. Tran Van Tai (57 years old) said that the cracking and subsidence phenomenon occurred very quickly. After a few small explosions, continuous cracking sounds emanated from the road surface. When running out to check, he discovered that half of the road surface had subsided, forming a deep hole close to the riverbank.
“Initially, the subsidence was only about 50cm, but by the next morning it was about 2.5m deep. The subsidence point is right in front of the house gate, so the family is very worried, if the road surface continues to subside, it will affect the foundation and house,” Mr. Tai shared.
According to local people, the road was built many years ago and was most recently upgraded and asphalted in 2022. This is an important traffic route serving the travel needs of people in the area. The sudden cracking and deep subsidence of the road surface makes many households always in a state of anxiety, especially when the rainy and flood season is approaching.
Demarcate the scene, urgently overcome the incident
Immediately after the incident occurred, Le Thuy Commune People's Committee mobilized forces to the scene to barricade, plant warning signs and strictly prohibit people and vehicles from passing through the dangerous area to ensure safety. At the same time, the locality coordinated with specialized agencies to inspect the scene, assess the extent of the impact and investigate the cause to have a handling plan.
According to the Le Thuy Land Fund Investment, Construction and Development Project Management Board, initial assessment results show that the preliminary cause of the incident was the burst of mud pockets under the construction site. The subsidence phenomenon occurred suddenly vertically.
In the area at the foot of the embankment, a mass of soft mud appeared and flowed back up to the ground, while the cracks were arc-shaped surrounding the subsidence center. Specialized agencies determined that the burst of the mud bag had destabilized the ground, leading to subsidence of the roadbed and the embankment section at the location of the incident.
To serve the inspection work, Le Thuy Commune People's Committee requested relevant units to temporarily suspend dredging activities in the Phu Tho - Tan Le canal area, and at the same time continue to maintain the system of barriers, warning signs and guide people to travel along alternative routes.
Mr. Le Van Son - Chairman of Le Thuy Commune People's Committee - said that the locality is coordinating with specialized agencies to continue surveying the scene, comprehensively assessing the extent of the impact and clarifying the cause of the incident to develop appropriate remedial plans.
According to Mr. Son, along with closely monitoring the developments in the subsidence area, the government will pay special attention to the risk of landslides and widespread subsidence that may affect neighboring households.
In the immediate future, the locality will continue to maintain barriers and traffic diversion to ensure safety, and at the same time propose solutions to repair and overcome the road in the near future to restore travel and stabilize people's lives.
