Tears of stormy season on land at high risk of landslides

In recent days, the prolonged heavy rains caused by storm No. 5 have once again made Thanh Mai hamlet, Mai Ha commune, live in a state of anxiety and worry. For 42 households and 165 people here, the storm is not just a passing natural disaster. It is also a dark shadow weighing down on every roof, hanging over their heads like a danger that could strike at any moment...

The crack on the high hill behind the houses of more than 40 households in Thanh Mai hamlet during the rains affected by storm No. 5 (Kajiki) shows signs of continuing to widen.

Haunted by the crack on the hill

Since Typhoon No. 3 ( Yagi ) in 2024, after heavy rains, people discovered many long cracks on the hillside. One of the cracks formed a landslide arc about 120m long, 40cm to 70cm wide, and up to 1.4m deep at some points. The distance from the crack to the nearest household is only 40m. Thousands of cubic meters of rock and soil are at risk, hanging upside down like swords, just waiting for more rain, the soil to become softer, and then collapse. If that happens, all 42 houses below will be buried in an instant.

Authorities of Mai Ha commune inspected cracks that pose a risk of sliding down to the houses of households in Thanh Mai hamlet.

Mr. Nguyen Van Mau, Head of Thanh Mai Hamlet, said in a heavy voice: Since 2024, every time there is heavy rain, people have to evacuate. Mud from the hills flows over the foundations of people's houses. Since the beginning of 2025, people have had to clean up and move their belongings several times to avoid storms and floods, avoiding the risk of being buried by rocks and soil. When storm No. 5 came, once again the whole hamlet almost did not sleep at night.

At many points, rocks and soil from the high hills have slid down the walls of houses of households (photo: rocks and soil from the high hills have slid down the house of Mr. Le Van Chien)

On the wet ground of the hill slope behind his house, Mr. Ngo Van Minh still tried to add a few more bags of soil to the reinforced concrete wall. But the mud from the hillside still rushed through as if there were no obstacles. He sighed: People and property have been moved elsewhere, but his heart feels like it is on fire. He is afraid that if the rain continues for a few more days, the giant mass of rock and soil will collapse, and the house that he has saved up for years will be lost. Similarly, the houses of Mr. Le Van Chien and Mr. Nguyen Trung Tam also suffer from mud flowing through their houses. Every time it rains, every time there is a distant thunderclap, the whole family is startled and worried. The makeshift life, evacuating from one place to another, makes the children tired and the adults burdened with their livelihood. Ms. Ngan Thi Thao, the owner of a clothing store in the neighborhood, shared with red eyes: Every time it rains, we have to run. No one buys our goods, customers don't dare to come. We don't dare to live in our house. Every storm passes, leaving only tears. We people do not know how to live if this situation continues.

Constant anxiety

Not only the risk from the cracks, the mud flows every time it rains are enough to scare the people. Every night when it rains heavily, the whole village stays up almost all night, trying to listen for every strange sound in the ground. Every family has their backpacks, clothes, and belongings ready. Just need the order to carry each other to the evacuation point. Mr. Nguyen Van Mau, Head of Thanh Mai village, shared more: People now no longer have faith in their homes. We live in a state of insecurity, always standing on the edge of a cliff. That feeling has become an obsession. Some households have just packed up and returned home for a few days before having to carry each other and run away again. The vicious cycle of evacuation - return - then evacuation again has turned life upside down.

Facing the risk of landslides due to the impact of heavy rain during storm No. 5, the People's Committee of Mai Ha commune mobilized forces to support people in moving their belongings to a safe place.

Faced with the dangerous situation, the Mai Hich commune government promptly deployed emergency measures. Comrade Ha Tuan Hai, Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said: With the spirit of people's safety being paramount, as soon as storm No. 5 began to affect, the commune mobilized police and military forces to coordinate with local militia to support the evacuation of households. By 4:00 p.m. on August 24, 2025, all people in high-risk areas had been moved to safe shelters. Not only that, the commune also arranged forces to stretch ropes, put up warning signs, and set up guard posts to prevent people from returning to dangerous areas. Officers and police took turns on duty to protect property and goods so that people could evacuate with peace of mind. However, that was only a temporary solution. According to the leader of the Mai Hich Commune People's Committee: The root problem is still the landslide behind the hamlet that has not been thoroughly handled. We really hope that superiors will soon have a long-term solution. It could be resettlement or reinforcement of embankments to prevent landslides, so that people can stabilize their lives.

Not only the authorities but also the people in the village actively participated in helping each other to clean up goods and belongings to move to shelters.

Every time the rainy season passes, the people of Thanh Mai hamlet are drenched in sweat and tears. Children no longer eagerly wait for the rain to cool off, but are scared every time they hear the sound of rain falling on the roof. Adults are used to skipping meals and hugging each other and running in the dark. Many dreams of a peaceful life in their hometown are shattered by the haunting fear of "the hills collapsing at any moment".

Comrade Le Duc Hung, Chairman of Mai Ha Commune People's Committee, encouraged households who had moved to safe shelters.

At the temporary shelter, Ms. Thao looked towards the hill still obscured by the rain, her eyes filled with tears: We just wish for a real place to live. If we keep running from rain and storms like this, when will our suffering end? The people of Thanh Mai are still steadfastly clinging to their land, clinging to their "birthplace". But that steadfastness is now gradually being eroded by the consecutive rainy and stormy seasons, by the cracks that are getting longer and wider on the hillside behind. And so, their tears fall with each storm, like a plea for an early solution to end the vicious cycle of insecurity, so that the roofs they live in are stable shelters in the midst of natural disasters.

Manh Hung

Source: https://baophutho.vn/nuoc-mat-mua-giong-bao-tren-vung-dat-co-nguy-co-cao-ve-sat-lo-238615.htm