Due to the impact of prolonged heavy rain, on the evening of July 27, at Km328+550 - Km328+560 on National Highway 32, passing through Trong La village, Khao Mang commune (Lao Cai province), a landslide occurred with a large volume of soil and rock, causing the road to be completely cut off.
According to Road Traffic Police Team No. 4, at the time of the landslide, it was dark, and soil and rocks continued to spill onto the road surface, so machinery could not access the scene to handle it immediately at night.
Functional forces have set up checkpoints, diverted traffic from both ends of the route, and prohibited vehicles from passing through dangerous areas to ensure safety.
Traffic police recommend that vehicles traveling on National Highway 32 in the direction of Mu Cang Chai (Lao Cai) to Muong Kim, Than Uyen (Lai Chau) and vice versa proactively adjust their routes, stop and rest at safe locations, and not concentrate at the foot of the positive slope because the risk of landslides still exists.
Mr. Tran Van Trinh - Deputy Director of Yen Bai Road Construction Joint Stock Company No. 1 - said that immediately after receiving the news, the unit coordinated with functional forces to inspect the scene.
However, due to unsatisfactory weather conditions and continuous landslides, the remediation must be temporarily suspended overnight to ensure safety.
By the morning of July 28, the unit had mobilized excavators, cars and manpower to deploy soil and rock clearing and road opening.
It is estimated that about 1,000m3 of soil and rock slid down over a length of about 50m, width of about 9m, covering the entire road surface, making it impossible for vehicles to circulate.
In the immediate future, we will focus on clearing the route so that vehicles can circulate again. After ensuring traffic, we will continue to handle the taluy slope to limit the risk of continued landslides," Mr. Trinh said.
Representatives of the road management unit added that the landslide has not damaged the foundation and surface of National Highway 32, mainly soil and rocks from the positive taluy overflowing into the road surface. However, some sections of guardrails were tilted and fallen due to impacts.
Repair work faces many difficulties because there are houses living under the taluy, and the transportation of soil and rocks must be taken to another location for treatment, prolonging the construction time.
If the weather is favorable and no more landslides occur, the unit is expected to basically open traffic at noon or in the afternoon of July 28.
