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| Supplying clean water to landslide-affected residents in Khe Tre |
Supporting residents in landslide-affected areas
As of October 31, traces of the devastating flood could still be seen on the walls of many houses in the mountainous districts of Nam Dong and A Luoi. However, several households remained isolated due to landslides, with roads still impassable and connections to central areas severely disrupted.
“The damage to infrastructure in Khe Tre is extremely serious,” said Mr. Duong Thanh Phuoc, Chairman of Khe Tre Commune People’s Committee, as he shared initial reports on the aftermath of the floods. In Khe Tre commune (formerly Nam Dong district), about 400 households in villages K4, Thanh An, Phu Mau, and Phu Hoa were isolated during the flood. Now, daily life has largely stabilized, while local authorities continue restoring infrastructure, reopening roads, and supplying food and clean water.
Mrs. Tran Thi Xuan, a resident of Phu Hoa village, shared: “I’ve lived in Nam Dong for many years, but I’ve never seen such heavy rainfall. Within just a few days, the surging Khe Tre River destroyed my family’s kitchen. Then, the Leno and Phu Hoa bridges collapsed; their abutments washed away, leaving us completely cut off in the early days when all roads were impassable. Fortunately, thanks to the proactive response of local authorities, who had stockpiled food and provided timely aid, our lives soon stabilized after the flood.”
Mr. Phuoc added that nearly 400 households were completely isolated during the first days of the flood as landslides and rising water cut off all routes. The commune quickly implemented plans to evacuate residents to safe locations and deliver food and drinking water. Although access has now been largely restored, residents continue to face severe post-flood hardships, so the commune is still providing essential goods and clean water.
In Thanh An village, local authorities set up essential goods stations so residents unable to reach the commune center could purchase necessities. Phu Mau village, which remained isolated for longer, received rice and instant noodles during the flood. Meanwhile, in village 3 of Thanh An and Ka Tu - areas facing clean water shortages after the flood, the commune coordinated with the water supply company to deliver mobile water tanks to collection points for residents to transport home.
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| Phu Hoa Bridge (Khe Tre) with its abutments eroded after the flood |
Along National Highway 49 and the Ho Chi Minh Road running through A Luoi district, many landslides and road blockages persist, posing ongoing risks and making travel to central areas difficult. On the morning of October 31, the People’s Committee of A Luoi 1 Commune mobilized military and police forces, along with excavators and bulldozers, to clear debris on the road leading to Par Ay village. The previous evening, about 500 cubic meters of soil and rock had slid onto the road, isolating around 130 households.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hai, Chairman of A Luoi 1 Commune People’s Committee, said that infrastructure repair efforts are ongoing. To help residents resume normal life quickly, in addition to reopening roads, the commune sent officials to each village to assess needs and deliver food supplies to isolated households. They also mobilized communal and village forces to clean roads and alleys, repair flood damage, and assist elderly or disabled residents in cleaning their homes.
Infrastructure needs to be rebuilt
After the floods, local authorities in the mountainous communes of Nam Dong and A Luoi have been actively helping residents deal with the aftermath and restore normal life. However, in the long term, these efforts are only preliminary because local resources are limited. To stabilize people’s livelihoods, enable secure production, and promote future economic development in mountainous areas, support from higher-level authorities is needed to rebuild essential infrastructure.
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| Forces assist mountain residents in cleaning up after the floods |
According to the Khe Tre Commune People’s Committee, severe erosion has occurred along the Ta Trach River, averaging 20–30 meters and in some places reaching 40 meters, with several sections encroaching dangerously close to people’s houses. Parts of the main river and its tributaries running along Provincial Road 14B have also been eroded, eating into the roadway by up to 2 meters in some spots, as well as along streams in other areas of the commune. In addition, landslides have damaged four main bridges in the commune to varying degrees.
Authorities are reviewing and listing areas at high risk of landslides and flash floods that require urgent relocation, in order to arrange resettlement for long-term stability. Initial assessments show that about 27 households need to be resettled, including 6 households near the waterfall-slide area, 19 households in Village 1 at risk from the Khe Tre hillside, and 2 households in Phu Hoa and Phu Nam whose riverside homes along the Khe Tre River have already been partially washed away.
The Khe Tre Commune People’s Committee has also proposed that the city invest in building the gateway road to the former Nam Dong district. Due to heavy floods, the section of Road 14B that serves as the access route to Khe Tre and runs along the Ta Trach River has suffered serious erosion, especially at Km20+900. In the long term, investment in this route is essential to ensure traffic connectivity and to address the erosion. It is known that this project was approved for investment by the provincial (now city) authorities in 2024 and is currently awaiting implementation.
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| Supporting residents in rebuilding infrastructure after the disaster in A Luoi 1 Commune |
Mr. Duong Thanh Phuoc noted that during heavy rains, a large volume of water flows down from the La Son – Tuy Loan Expressway (in the section passing Khe Tre) into residential areas along the route. He proposed that the city request the Ministry of Construction and the Ho Chi Minh Road Management Board to survey and invest in drainage systems to collect runoff from the expressway and discharge it into the Ta Trach River, thereby reducing soil erosion and preventing localized flooding in residential areas.
In locations where bridge foundations, abutments, and approach roads have been scoured, it has been recommended that the city People’s Committee direct the Department of Construction to assess the current condition of these bridges and propose remedies to ensure traffic safety and structural stability. At the same time, funding is needed to reinforce fords, repair and raise drainage culverts, and improve access roads to production areas, including roads used by local residents.