Concerns about the Lo River...

Never before have the people of Trung Ha commune, a mountainous area, faced such severe damage as during this year's storm season. Successive major storms, from numbers 3, 5 to 10, caused significant damage to transportation infrastructure and people's homes. The erosion along the banks of the Lo River, which flows through the commune and encroaches on National Highway 217 and the residential areas of Din and Che villages, remains a persistent concern.

The house of Ms. Ha Thi Dieu in Din village, Trung Ha commune, was swept away by the flood.

Mr. Lu Hong Chien, Head of the Economic Department of the Trung Ha Commune People's Committee, took us on a tour of the Lo River running through the commune. In his memory, this river is as close to him as a childhood friend. A major tributary of the Ma River, originating in Laos and flowing through the communes of the former Quan Son district before joining the Ma River in Hoi Xuan commune, the river has seen significant investment over the years in infrastructure projects such as concrete bridges and roads on both sides, serving the needs of the communities along its banks.

The river, once so peaceful, its waters nourish the fields and preserve the cultural values ​​of the highland villages. But today, the unsightly erosion, the large "gaps" digging deep into the embankments, and the encroachment on roads and residential areas... have caused immense fear among the people. For Ms. Ha Thi Dieu (born in 1992), even though the storm passed more than two months ago, the terrifying memories remain. Her house, worth over one billion dong, was her entire savings accumulated over many years of working abroad. Just one storm, with the unusually high and swirling floodwaters of the Lo River, caused the house to completely collapse.

Amidst the rubble, broken walls, and crumpled corrugated iron roofs lying haphazardly at the water's edge, Ms. Điều was still in shock. She recalled the moment the house began to shake, and strange cracks appeared. Just minutes later, there was the sound of concrete breaking and rocks sliding down into the river; she shouted for help and rushed out with her child in the pouring rain. "Luckily, everyone managed to escape in time. As long as we're alive, we have a home," Ms. Điều said, trying to reassure herself. Currently, Ms. Điều is temporarily staying with her grandparents. Her family is seeking support from relatives, friends, and philanthropists to rebuild a new house. She hopes the new house will be completed before the Lunar New Year.

Sharing the concerns of the villagers, Mr. Pham Van Thuat, head of Din village, said: “The villagers have lived along the river for decades, accustomed to the rising and falling water levels, but this year is completely different. We have never seen the water erode so deeply and quickly. Many households had to relocate in the night. The people of Din village hope that the authorities will soon invest in a sturdy embankment; only then can we protect our land and maintain the stability of our village.”

Due to the rapidly changing river flow, strong floodwaters from upstream Laos, and the steep terrain and narrow riverbed, many sections of the riverbanks have suffered severe erosion. After Typhoon No. 10, numerous areas were eroded, creating deep "caves" that encroached on National Highway 217, directly threatening the road infrastructure and houses along the route. Not only Ms. Điều's family, but dozens of households along the Lò River are also worried about the land erosion.

According to Mr. Chien, following the consecutive impacts of three major storms this year, especially storm number 10 which caused enormous damage in the area, the villages along the Lo River were most severely affected, with 2 houses completely destroyed, 26 houses damaged, and 45 households flooded; the bridge abutment in De village collapsed... The transportation system experienced many large landslides, especially on National Highway 217 running along the Lo River; the two main bridges in Lam and Can villages suffered subsidence and cracked abutments; the Canh stream bridge, along with the water pipeline system and 500m of irrigation ditch in Din village, were swept away and severely damaged by the flood... "Through the review, it was found that nearly 100 households in Din and Che villages are located in areas at high risk of landslides along the Lo River bank, and a plan for relocation and resettlement or investment in a solid river embankment needs to be implemented soon," Mr. Chien said.

According to Mr. Chien, after the local authorities compiled a report on the damage, a survey team from the Department of Construction went to the site to inspect and assess the level of danger in order to submit it to the competent authorities for consideration and to develop a remediation project. In the context of unpredictable natural disasters, people desire a comprehensive solution, rather than just addressing individual landslide points. Erosion has been occurring continuously for many years and is becoming increasingly complex; therefore, investing in a solid embankment system and arranging safe resettlement areas is considered a fundamental solution to minimize damage and help people living along the riverbanks feel secure and stable in their lives.

Text and photos: Dinh Giang

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/noi-lo-song-lo-270977.htm