Severe erosion of the banks of the Luỹ River.

For over a month, hundreds of households in Tinh My village, Hong Thai commune, Lam Dong province, have been living in anxiety due to continuous heavy rains and floods causing serious riverbank erosion. The risk of erosion not only threatens their homes but also endangers the Cham Royal Treasury – a repository of hundreds of precious artifacts from the Po Klong Mo Nai dynasty.

The residents of Tinh My village are apprehensive about the possibility of landslides.

People's anxiety

Since the end of October, following several prolonged periods of heavy rain and the release of water from the Song Luy and Ca Giay reservoirs, the section of the Song Luy river flowing through Tinh My village has been constantly struggling to cope with the rising water levels. The raging currents have swept away the riverside soil, eroding deep into the land, leaving hundreds of households living along the river with the constant fear of landslides and erosion.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Cam's family is still in shock. Their house, built nearly 10 years ago and previously situated more than 10 meters from the riverbank, now hangs precariously on the edge of the cliff. During each flood, they have to leave their belongings with neighbors, and at night, no one dares to sleep for fear of collapsing into the river at any moment. Not far from Ms. Cam's house, Mr. Tran Quang Dat's family faces a similar situation. Floodwaters have created deep, cavernous holes in the riverbank. Residents have tried planting trees with large roots to prevent erosion, but the raging water continues to erode the land, leaving only bare tree stumps.

Ms. Dong Thi Kim Minh, who has lived nearly half her life by the Luu River, said that erosion occurs year-round, with floodwaters encroaching 2-4 meters inland each rainy season. “Previously, there was an embankment built downstream, but not upstream. The swirling floodwaters caused the bank to erode, and after residents petitioned, there was a plan to build another embankment. They excavated nearly 10 meters of soil in preparation, but then left it unfinished. Now, the floodwaters are swirling strongly, causing landslides, and Ms. Cam's house was almost swept into the river,” Ms. Minh said.

Currently, Hong Thai commune has received funding from the Kingdom of Belgium for the construction of 650 meters of embankment in Canh Dien and Tinh My villages. The project has proven effective. However, approximately 500 meters of riverbank remain unembanked, posing a direct threat to over 250 households with nearly 1,600 people during heavy rains and floods.

Risk of impact on precious Cham heritage

Besides threatening people's homes, landslides also directly endanger the Cham Royal Treasury in Tinh My village – which houses over 100 precious artifacts, including the crown of King Po Klong Mo Nai and the queen's hair ornament. The Po Klong Mo Nai Temple has been recognized as a national historical monument since 1993, so the risk of erosion from landslides is causing great concern among the Cham community.

In order to ensure the safety of residents and preserve heritage, the former Binh Thuan province previously assigned the Management Board of Investment and Construction Projects for Agriculture and Rural Development to prepare a report proposing the investment policy for the construction of a river embankment along the Luuy River to protect Tinh My - Canh Dien village, with completion expected in 2024. However, to date, the project has not been implemented.

According to Mr. Phan Thanh Phuong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hong Thai commune, on September 24, 2025, the Provincial Department of Finance issued Official Letter No. 2630 regarding the request for opinions on the appraisal of the investment policy for the project to build a riverbank protection embankment along the Luuy River section passing through Tinh My village, with a scale of approximately 500 meters of embankment.

Mr. Phuong emphasized: "The erosion along the Luu River is a matter of great concern to the people because it not only leads to the loss of land and crops but also directly threatens the Tinh My residential area, especially in the context of climate change causing sudden and severe flooding." The Provincial Agricultural Project Management Board has also submitted a report proposing an investment plan with a total estimated budget of over 36 billion VND from the provincial budget for the period 2021-2025, carried over to the medium-term plan 2026-2030.

Following positive signals from the authorities, hundreds of Cham households in Tinh My village are delighted and hopeful that the project will be implemented soon. This is not only to provide residents with a stable place to live, but also to transform the Cham Royal Treasury into a unique tourist destination that could attract thousands of visitors annually.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/sat-lo-nghiem-trong-bo-song-luy-409694.html