The arduous journey towards the mountains

TRAFFIC G3 — The section at kilometer 82+500 on National Highway 40B (the section passing through Tra Tan commune) is continuously cut off due to landslides. Photo: HO QUAN

Bottleneck on National Highway 40B

In recent days, the section at kilometer 82+500 on National Highway 40B (in Tra Tan commune) has been repeatedly cut off due to landslides. Hundreds of cubic meters of soil and rocks from the hillside, carried down by heavy rain, have washed away parts of the roadbed and the main drainage culvert. The maintenance unit has been continuously clearing the debris and building temporary culverts, but the road is only passable for a short time before being damaged again due to recurring landslides. Vehicles are almost unable to pass through this landslide area.

Teacher Le Huy Phuong, Principal of Tra Leng 1 Ethnic Boarding Primary School (Tra Leng commune), said that out of concern for the school and his students, he had to rent a motorboat to travel from Tra Doc, crossing the floodwaters on the Tranh River, and绕过 the landslide area to reach Tra Leng commune. He knew it was dangerous, but there was no other way, because National Highway 40B – a vital transportation route – had been blocked for more than a day.

This bottleneck also creates many difficulties in transferring critically ill patients from the Nam Tra My Regional Health Center to higher-level hospitals. Mr. Tran Van Thu, Director of the Nam Tra My Regional Health Center, said that recently, to transfer three patients, the unit coordinated with the Bac Tra My Regional Health Center to prepare an ambulance on the other side of the landslide. When the ambulance from the Nam Tra My Regional Health Center approached the landslide area, militia members from Tra Leng commune had to use hammocks to carry the patients across the sliding rocks and soil amidst heavy rain. The patients were then received by the Bac Tra My Regional Health Center and transferred to a higher-level hospital.

Currently, dozens of serious landslides have occurred along National Highway 40B, affecting both embankments and slopes, causing traffic blockages at km 82+500 (Tra Tan commune) and km 119+280 (Nam Tra My commune). In addition, many areas have seen rocks and soil spill onto the road surface, making traffic dangerous. The total estimated damage to date amounts to 76.6 billion VND.

Mr. Le Minh Chien, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tra Tan commune, said that the locality has coordinated with the maintenance unit to string ropes and install warning signs at landslide locations. Specifically at km82+500, when a landslide causes a road closure, officials will be on duty to prevent vehicles from passing through to ensure safety. The unit is also urging efforts to repair the damage so that traffic can be partially reopened when weather conditions are favorable.

TRAFFIC 1 — At kilometer 96+070 on National Highway 40B (in Nam Tra My commune), a landslide occurred on the embankment, posing a danger to people and vehicles. Photo: HO QUAN

The big challenge

Not only National Highway 40B, but the entire mountainous transportation network is suffering heavy damage after the floods. According to the Infrastructure Maintenance Board (under the Da Nang City Department of Construction), for many days, routes 14D, 14E, 40B, DT606, DT615B… have been continuously blocked due to landslides; routes 14B, 24C, 14G are experiencing traffic difficulties due to damaged road surfaces and numerous potholes. The estimated damage to the city's transportation infrastructure to date is approximately 240 billion VND, of which about 230 billion VND was from the floods caused by typhoons No. 12 and No. 13. The majority of the damage is to routes leading to mountainous areas such as National Highway 40B, National Highway 24C, and DT606.

During the period of heavy rain and complex landslides, the Department of Construction prioritized ensuring traffic flow in the first phase, addressing critical landslide areas, reviewing bridge and road foundations, and serving the needs of travel and transportation of essential goods, especially on key routes to mountainous communes. At the same time, the unit continued to compile damage reports and prepare technical documentation for long-term restoration projects.

Besides national and provincial highways, many district roads and inter-village routes in mountainous areas also suffered significant damage, including newly invested routes that play a crucial role in promoting inter-regional transportation, production development, and poverty reduction. Mr. Chau Minh Nghia, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tra Leng commune, stated that the estimated damage to transportation infrastructure in the area is over 45 billion VND. In particular, three key locations at the beginning of the routes leading to the centers of the villages remain severely affected by landslides, isolating nearly 500 households.

“The roads leading to hamlets 1, 3, 6, and 7 are all cut off due to these three landslides. The local authorities have developed an emergency remediation plan with an estimated cost of over 6.7 billion VND. We request that the Da Nang City People's Committee allocate funds soon to ensure convenient travel for the people,” Mr. Nghia said.

Mr. Le Trung Thuc, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tra Tap commune, said that 12 roads in the commune are severely damaged and experiencing landslides, with total losses exceeding 26 billion VND. Among them, the DH3 road connecting hamlets 1, 2, and 3, which is less than 18km long, has over 40 landslide points. In particular, there are 7 locations where the road surface is completely broken, affecting the travel of more than 2,700 people. In recent days, the local authorities have opened temporary roads alongside the damaged sections, but when heavy rain occurs, traffic is almost completely blocked.

“It is estimated that landslides have occurred along 2.9km, silting up 3.5km of drainage ditches, and 20,000m³ of embankment collapse… This is a vital transportation route, not only ensuring travel but also promoting local economic , social, and tourism development. Therefore, in addition to providing financial support for remediation, the city needs to support the locality with further investment solutions for sustainable transportation development, mitigating landslide risks, and promoting development in mountainous areas,” Mr. Thuc suggested.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/gian-nan-duong-ve-phia-nui-3311011.html