Due to the influence of Storm No. 4, in recent days, the Central Highlands has had heavy to very heavy rain, causing local flooding in some localities. In Chu Prong district, floods washed away many hectares of people's crops. In particular, the Ia Glae 2 hydroelectric project being built on the Ia Glae stream, in the two communes of Ia Ga and Ia Ve (Chu Prong district), had its main dam broken. This is a serious incident, causing great damage to the environment as well as people's crops.
From the night of October 8 to the morning of October 10, heavy rain caused a sudden influx of water and a high flow rate, almost completely breaking the nearly 9m long, 10m high dam body of the Ia Glae 100 Hydropower Plant. This is a level III hydroelectric project, with a design capacity of 4MW and an investment capital of over 2 billion VND. The project is built on an area of 12 hectares.
At the base of the hydroelectric dam, where the incident occurred, floodwaters flattened the dam body and swept away dozens of hectares of crops, industrial crops, and food crops of people on both sides of the stream. The main damaged crops are coffee, pepper, cashew, banana, coconut... Floodwater partially broke the second-order spillway of this project.
Mr. Dang Van Dau (residing in Tan Thuy village, Ia Ga commune, Chu Prong district) said that every year without this hydroelectric power plant, flood water rises normally, but since the hydroelectric dam was built, flood water has overflowed. The larger flow caused the dam body to break and completely wash away nearly 2,5 hectares of crops and long-term industrial crops of his family.
Sharing the same frustrated feeling, Mr. Dao Van Ha, also residing in Ia Ga commune, said: Flood water from the upstream overflowed to meet the Ia Glae 2 hydroelectric dam and accumulated, creating great pressure, breaking the dam body, then "sweeping" everything. all crops and trees. As for his family, the entire area of doi trees, roses, and durian trees that were being harvested were completely lost. Looking at the areas of trees that he had cared for for many years and now all gone, he was both sad and frustrated.
In addition, this hydroelectric dam collapse also polluted people's domestic and irrigation water sources. Through preliminary statistics of the People's Committee of Ia Ga commune, there are 19 households directly affected, with an area of up to dozens of hectares, of which most are long-term crops with economic value.
Many people said that this was a serious incident. Although there was no loss of life, it caused huge damage to people's property. However, when the incident occurred, Chu Prong District People's Committee did not promptly report it to higher authorities.
Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Chu Prong district, Nguyen Van Luyen, said: The cause of the incident was not due to the dam breaking, the breaking of the retaining wall only contributed to increasing the level of damage. Local authorities are coordinating with Khai Hoang Hydropower Joint Stock Company to check and declare affected households.
Before each rainy and stormy season, Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee regularly issues documents directing relevant branches to inspect, monitor and ensure the safety of hydroelectric and irrigation projects in the entire province. In particular, the Provincial People's Committee requires project owners and local authorities to strengthen measures to prevent and respond to possible incidents.
Ia Glae 2 Hydropower Plant was approved by Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee for investment policy for Khai Hoang Hydropower Joint Stock Company (headquartered in Pleiku city, Gia Lai province) in February 2. This project entered the construction phase in the second quarter of 2020 and is expected to be completed and put into use in the fourth quarter of 2020. However, to date, this project has not been completed.
