7 years of living in anxiety and worry
At noon on March 12, Ms. Vu Thi Mieu (born in 1963, residing in Quan Trang village, Bat Trang commune) ngoi in ahuge looking towards the land next to Quan ferry terminal. Ms. Mieu confided that that plot of land used to be a 2-room house, where 3 generations of her family lived. Now the water has washed away, leaving only a patch of cracked soil, and it is unknown when it will flow with the water.
Ms. Mieu's family has lived in the Quan Trang riverside hamlet since 1988. Since 2018, this area has begun to have landslides, each year sweeping away tens of square meters of land. "water carries from the garden to the kitchen, then carries the whole house. My wife and I have to offer soil from the pond behind the house to build a temporary house made of corrugated iron, our lives are precarious and our activities are turned upside down" - Ms. Mieu said.
Not far from Mrs. Mieu's house, the hundred-square-meter plot of land of Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong's family (born in 1962) was almost washed away, leaving a piece of land exposed and cracked. Mr. Phuong and his wife have had to stay at the cultural house of Bat Trang commune for many months now.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Oanh (Mr. Phuong's daughter) said: "My parents' land has collapsed close to the edge of the house. When storm No. 3 made landfall, the entire house was swept away in an instant. Luckily, my parents were evacuated in time. Her father had a stroke and her health gradually weakened, while she and her younger sister, even though they lived near their parents, could not take them home to live together because their houses were affected by landslides.
The house of Ms. Nguyen Thi Yen, Ms. Oanh's younger sister, collapsed close to the foot of the wall, the whole family had to temporarily live under a sand boat. A few days later, the boat owner took the boat home, Ms. Yen ran around to find a new place to live. In the immediate future, there is a temporary canvas canvas at a nearby thatched house.
"My house has collapsed dozens of meters. Last year, the family bought stone to build a stone embankment but still lived in anxiety. At night, I dare not close the door, when I hear strange noises, I am ready to run. We hope to return to the resettlement area soon to stabilize our lives" - Ms. Oanh shared.
Waiting for the land allocation decision
Speaking with Lao Dong, Mr. Phan Viet Le - Chairman of Bat Trang Commune People's Committee - said: The landslide situation at Quan ferry area has been going on for more than 7 years, directly affecting 8 households with nearly 30 people. Landslides are getting worse every day, especially after storm No. 3 (September 2024). Faced with this situation, An Lao district has arranged resettlement areas for 8 households in Quan Trang village. The plots of land have now been leveled, completing the traffic system, power lines, domestic water supply system, and synchronous drainage system. Each plot of land has an area of 104m2 to 136m2.
According to the leader of the People's Committee of the commune, the locality has completed the necessary procedures to confirm that all 8 households do not have any other houses or residential land in the commune, and are eligible for allocation of residential land with money collected into the resettlement area.
In reality, households here are in extremely difficult circumstances, there are sick people and serious illnesses. A day when people have to stay in the landslide area is a day when we worry about their safety" - Mr. Phan Viet Le - Chairman of the People's Committee - commune said.
Previously, the People's Committee of An Lao district also announced the approval of a plan to support assets, crops, architectural objects and allocate land with money collected for 8 households affected by landslides. The District People's Committee also assigned the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (now the District Department of Agricultural Resources and Environment) to complete the dossier and submit it to the city for decision on land subdivision.
"The commune government and households are eagerly waiting for the decision of the City People's Committee. As soon as there is a decision, the locality will conduct a land allocation draw according to regulations so that households can soon move to the resettlement area, stabilize their lives, and avoid the dangers and risks of having to live in landslide areas, especially when the rainy and stormy season is approaching" - said the leader of Bat Trang commune.
