Urgent repair of Cay An Lake

Lam Dong On November 8, Lam Dong province deployed urgent repairs and supported people to relocate downstream of Cay An irrigation lake with a capacity of 1.7 million m³.

Emergency construction, ensuring reservoir safety

After discovering a crack longer than 50 meters, water seepage and subsidence in the body of Cay An reservoir dam, Ta Nang commune. Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee issued an order to build an emergency project to fix the problem. The project to fix the seepage and landslide of Cay An reservoir (phase 1) has a total cost of 2.9 billion VND, using the provincial budget reserve, with a maximum implementation time of 90 days.

The project to overcome the seepage and landslide of Cay An reservoir (phase 1) has a total cost of 2.9 billion VND, using the provincial budget reserve, with a maximum implementation time of 90 days. Photo: Lam Thien.

According to the decision, the Duc Trong Area Construction Investment Project Management Board was assigned as the investor, coordinating with the Department of Agriculture and Environment, local authorities and military forces to organize construction on November 8. Urgent items include lowering the lake water level, covering with waterproofing tarpaulin, drilling and filling concrete to reinforce the dam roof, driving cajuput piles and handling the collapsed dam foot.

Cay An Lake was built and put into use in 2007, with a capacity of about 1.7 million m³, serving irrigation for more than 200 hectares of agricultural land. In recent days, prolonged heavy rains have caused the water level to rise, increasing pressure on the dam body, causing seepage and local landslides. If the dam breaks, the damage will be huge for hundreds of households and agricultural production areas downstream.

According to the leader of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee, the solution is that along with piling, filling the soil, covering with waterproofing tarpaulin, the authorities will start deploying 48 jet drills, divided into 3 rows on the dam surface in the area where the incident occurred. Here, iron and concrete will be pumped directly into the middle of the dam body to keep the project safe. Along with that, the monitoring and tracking work will be closely monitored by the authorities, ready to respond when an incident occurs.

Cay An Lake was built and put into use in 2007, with a capacity of about 1.7 million m³, serving irrigation for more than 200 hectares of agricultural land. Photo: Lam Thien.

Support people to relocate and stabilize their lives

Facing the risk of a dam failure, the Ta Nang commune authorities ordered an emergency evacuation of more than 100 households in Chan Rang Hao and Tou Nhe villages on the night of November 7. People were taken to schools, communal houses, religious establishments and relatives' houses in safe places. The local authorities provided adequate supplies, drinking water, blankets and ensured security in the evacuation area.

Chairman of Ta Nang Commune People's Committee Nguyen Vu Linh Sang said that the commune has advanced 150 million VND from the 2025 budget to provide immediate support for displaced people. All affected households have been provided with necessities, temporary accommodation and transportation support.

Local police, military and militia forces remain on duty 24/7 in the downstream area to be ready to respond when heavy rain continues. Colonel Dinh Hong Tieng, Commander of Lam Dong Provincial Military Command, directly directed the scene to ensure the safety of people and provide technical support to the construction team.

People and authorities work together to temporarily handle and repair landslides. Photo: XN.

Currently, the weather in the area is still rainy, with a high risk of landslides. Lam Dong provincial authorities continue to closely monitor the progress of the project, and at the same time review small and medium-sized dams in the heavy rain area to take timely reinforcement measures.

The incident at Cay An Lake is a clear warning about dam safety in the Central Highlands region, where hundreds of small irrigation projects have been in operation for many years and are increasingly affected by extreme weather. The prompt handling, support for people and investment in upgrading projects shows the drastic intervention of the provincial government to protect people's lives and property before the rainy and stormy season.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/khan-cap-khac-phuc-ho-cay-an-d783169.html