Landslide danger on National Highway 6 and the need for synchronous solutions

National Highway 6, the vital route connecting Hanoi with the Northwestern provinces, has long been famous for its majestic natural landscape. However, behind that beauty are always lurking dangers. The road section through Phu Tho province, with a terrain of steep cliffs on one side and deep abysses on the other, is facing an increasingly serious risk of landslides, directly threatening the safety of people and vehicles participating in traffic. This situation requires a comprehensive assessment and urgent, synchronous solutions from the authorities.

Alarming situation from recent incidents

Recently, National Highway 6 through Hoa Binh has continuously recorded landslides of various levels, sounding the alarm about the instability of the area's geology. Early in the morning of August 31, at Km121+700 in Mai Chau commune, a series of large rocks from the positive slope suddenly collapsed, blocking the entire road surface. Although the incident did not cause any human casualties because it occurred at a time when there were few vehicles passing by, it caused serious traffic congestion and was a clear warning of potential risks.

100m long crack in the positive slope area, section Km41+200, Pa Co commune area.

Previously, at Km128+740, near Dong Bang gas station, a landslide hit a moving car with 4 people on board. Luckily, everyone was safe, but the car was severely damaged and traffic infrastructure was affected.

More worrying is the appearance of a large crack recently discovered. On September 21, an interdisciplinary working group inspected and confirmed the existence of a crack on the positive slope at Km41+200, Pa Co commune area. According to initial records, this crack is about 100 meters long, 10-20 cm wide, and in some places subsides up to 60 cm deep, forming a giant slide that is at risk of collapsing onto the road at any time. Mr. Tran Van Truyen, Chairman of Pa Co commune People's Committee, expressed his concern: The risk of landslides and landslides on the route passing through the area is very high. The commune hopes that the authorities will urgently review and deploy solutions to ensure the safety of people and vehicles. The government has had to urgently advise households living near the dangerous area to evacuate to a safe place.

Handling the risk of rock fall in Thung Nhuoi slope, Mai Chau commune

In addition to the risk of landslides, National Highway 6 also faces many other problems that increase the risk of traffic accidents. Oil leaks and spills from heavy vehicles on the road surface often occur. This layer of oil, when exposed to rain or fog, will create an extremely dangerous slippery surface, especially on winding mountain passes such as Cun, Thung Khe, and Thung Nhuoi. Braking suddenly or handling situations on these roads becomes more difficult than ever, easily leading to loss of control, skidding, and overturning.

The State invests in many evacuation routes on National Highway 6.

The unique terrain with many hairpin bends and obstructed visibility has also turned many sections of the road into "black spots" for traffic accidents. Areas such as Km145+200 - Km145+500 (Pa Co commune) or Km109+800 - Km110+800 (Muong Bi) have recorded particularly serious accidents.

Immediate solutions and long-term orientation

Faced with the urgent situation, the authorities and road management units have deployed a number of immediate response measures. At high-risk locations, landslide warning signs have been placed, and people have been assigned to guide and regulate traffic. Regarding the oil spill problem, units regularly patrol and use sand to treat and reduce slipperiness. The Traffic Police force has also increased patrols, controls, and strictly handled violations such as speeding, weaving, and overloading. However, these are only temporary solutions. In the long term, this route needs a more comprehensive and sustainable strategy.

The management agency has requested relevant agencies to conduct a comprehensive review of black spots and potential accident spots. Surveying and re-evaluating the entire geology of the slopes along the route is extremely necessary to identify vulnerable areas and propose appropriate technical solutions such as building retaining walls, concrete embankments, installing steel mesh to prevent rockfall, or slope stabilization measures. Along with technical solutions, raising awareness of traffic participants is a key factor. Drivers must strictly comply with safety rules when traveling on mountain passes: move at a steady speed, keep a safe distance, adhere to the principle of "upshifting, downshifting" to take advantage of engine braking, and regularly check the vehicle's technical condition before each trip.

National Highway 6 is the economic and social development route for the entire Northwest region. Ensuring safety for National Highway 6 is an urgent task that cannot be delayed. For this road to be truly safe and effective, it requires the decisive and synchronous participation of all levels of government, specialized units and the awareness of each citizen.

Le Chung

Source: https://baophutho.vn/an-hoa-sat-lo-tren-quoc-lo-6-va-nhu-cau-giai-phap-dong-bo-240011.htm