On the afternoon of April 3, at a regular press conference on the socio-economic situation of Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Minh Phu, Deputy Head of the Department of Construction Quality Management, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction informed that after recording the shaking caused by the earthquake from Myanmar, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction quickly coordinated with the People's Committee of District 8 to conduct a field survey at Diamond Riverside apartment building on March 31, 2025.
During the survey, the working group worked with the Apartment Management Board, the investor, local authorities and related parties. Preliminary inspection results showed that some cracks and peeling appeared on the walls, with different depths and lengths.
The investor's representative affirmed that the structure of the project is designed according to construction standards, ensuring load-bearing capacity. The project has also been inspected and accepted by the State Appraisal Department of Construction Quality.
According to Mr. Phu, the Apartment Management Board will coordinate with the investor and related parties to organize inspections and safety assessments of components and construction items with cracks according to residents' reflections.
The inspection, evaluation and handling will be carried out according to the construction maintenance process prescribed in Decree No. 06/2021/ND-CP of the Government.
"We will request the investor to take timely remedial measures to ensure the safety of residents and will continue to update information until there is an official conclusion and hope that people will feel secure in ensuring the safety of their place of residence," said Mr. Phu.
In addition to the case of Diamond Riverside Apartment Building in District 8, the Department of Construction has not yet received any reflection on other similar cases, only recording through information pages about some projects where people inside ran outside during the aftershock.
In response to concerns about the safety of works after the earthquake, the Department of Construction has issued a document requesting the People's Committee of Thu Duc City and districts to review and count crowded places (office towers, hotels, hospitals, schools, apartments, shopping centers) that are affected by the earthquake.
Request owners, management units, and management boards of projects hired by units with the capacity to check the load-bearing structure of the project to detect damage, assess the safety of load-bearing, and propose solutions (if any).
Coordinate with Ho Chi Minh City Police to review equipment, vehicles, and rescue plans at the projects.
According to the Department of Construction, the People's Committee of Thu Duc City and the districts are implementing the above work contents and will have a report sent to the Department of Construction before April 15, 2025.
The Department of Construction affirms that the construction of high-rise buildings must comply with current construction standards and regulations of Vietnam, including regulations on safety against earthquakes.
In addition, there are other legal regulations related to appraisal, appraisal of designs, ensuring safety against earthquakes.
The Department of Construction also emphasized the importance of ensuring equipment, vehicles, rescue plans at construction sites to ensure safety for people when they have to escape, according to the provisions of Decree No. 50/2024/ND-CP of the Government.
