Regarding the phenomenon of unusually dead earthworms in Vinh Son village (Phu Trach commune), on December 20, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Quang Tri province said that it had just sent inspection results to the People's Committee of Phu Trach commune and informed the people.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, after the report of Phu Trach Commune People's Committee on the dense occurrence of earthworms on the path and garden, extending to the edge of National Highway 1, many of which were drighten and stiff to death in large numbers at the foot of Deo Ngang, the unit organized a field inspection.
On December 5, 2025, the Department of Agriculture and Environment established an interdisciplinary team, coordinating with local authorities and the Head of Vinh Son village to inspect the area where worm death occurred.
The results showed that the location where the dead worms were recorded was in the land of Ms. Nguyen Thi Thoai (Vinh Son village), the land along National Highway 1A had been built with a surrounding wall and no trees had been planted. At the time of inspection, only a few dead and dried worms were left, no new phenomena were recorded, and no similar cases were reported in surrounding areas.
According to the survey, this area has no industrial production facilities, is not flooded and there are no waste sources that can pollute the environment. Similarly, in the cemetery area of Quang Dong commune (old), where people reported scattered dead worms, high terrain, far from residential areas and production activities, so it was not affected by domestic or industrial waste.
To clarify the cause, the Department of Agriculture and Environment took a soil sample and an underground water sample from Ms. Nguyen Thi Thoai's house for analysis.
The results showed that no trace of organic CL pesticides in the soil was detected; water indicators such as pH, hardness, amoniak, nitrate and heavy metal were within the permitted limits according to QCVN 09:2023/BTNMT.
From the above results, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Quang Tri province concluded that the phenomenon of worms rising to the ground and dying in Vinh Son village on December 1, 2025 did not originate from environmental causes.
The Department recommends that the People's Committee of Phu Trach commune continue to monitor and promptly report to the authorities if this phenomenon recurs to have a suitable handling direction.
Previously, as reported by Lao Dong Newspaper, on December 1, at the foot of Deo Ngang (in Vinh Son village), people discovered earthworm carcasses lying everywhere on concrete paths and people's gardens and extended to the edge of National Highway 1.
