Recently in July, a landslide occurred on the grounds of Phụng An hamlet, An Mỹ commune, Kế Sách district, with a length of approximately 40m, and a depth of 5m, causing a complete collapse of a road section, and affecting traffic.
Ms. Lưu Thùy Em, who lives just over 1m away from the landslide, expressed her concern that if timely measures are not taken, her house may also be affected.
“This house was built with the support of the local authorities, and we were still celebrating its completion when we had to worry about the landslide. At night, I am too afraid to sleep, fearing the landslide may occur at any moment. My family is struggling financially, and we do not know how to relocate,” Ms. Thùy Em said.
According to the UBND of Kế Sách district, from 2015 to date, an average of 2km of land has been eroded annually, with a depth of 2-10m, and an area of approximately 1ha per year. In the first 6 months of 2024, 37 sections of land have been eroded, with a total length of over 900m.
Similarly, in Cù Lao Dung district, more than 30 severe landslides have been recorded on the Tả Hữu dike in An Thạnh Đông commune, and in the Xóm Đáy area of Đại Ân 1 commune.
Mr. Nguyễn Văn Đắc, Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Cù Lao Dung district, reported that after a thorough survey and statistics, there are 55 large-scale projects on the district's land, with an estimated cost of approximately 5 billion VND. The district has also proposed to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Chi cục Thủy lợi of Sóc Trăng province for financial support to implement these projects, in order to mitigate the effects of natural disasters and triều cường in the last months of 2024.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Sóc Trăng province, from the beginning of 2024 to date, 3 landslides have been recorded in Song Phụng commune (Long Phú district), affecting the daily lives of local residents. The dikes on the Hậu River in Kế Sách district, the Phụng An canal, the Rạch Vọp canal, and the Mỹ Thanh River dike in Trần Đề district are also experiencing landslides, posing a risk of collapse during the upcoming flood season.
In Mỹ Tú district, the water flow has caused severe erosion of the Nhu Gia River bank, and the Tam Sóc clogged area. On February 26, the Sóc Trăng provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 276/QD-UBND on the declaration of a landslide emergency on the Nhu Gia River bank, in the Tam Sóc clogged area, in Mỹ Thuận commune.
Similarly, the Vĩnh Châu dike (Vĩnh Châu town) in the K39-K45 area is still being eroded, with the loss of the protective forest, and the direct threat of the sea to the dike, posing a high risk of dike collapse.
Mr. Phạm Tấn Đạo, Director of the Sóc Trăng provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that in recent times, with the support of the central government and local authorities, the department has collaborated with the districts and towns to reinforce the dikes on the Cù Lao Dung and Hậu River banks, ensuring safety while preventing saltwater intrusion and triều cường, and protecting agricultural production areas. The department has also proposed the construction of a 41km dike in An Thạnh Đông and Đại Ân 1 communes, with a budget of 250 billion VND (WB11 project), to complete the dike system and ensure the safety of agricultural production areas in Cù Lao Dung district. The department has also proposed the upgrading of the dikes on the Hậu River banks in Kế Sách district (Phong Nẫm, An Tấn, An Công, and Mỹ Phước communes).
