LÀO CAI – Flooding caused by prolonged rains resulted in a landslide which crushed three houses early Tuesday morning in Sa Pa District, Lào Cai northern mountainous province, officials said.

Among the three houses, one, a newly-built four-storey structure, was completely destroyed.

No fatalities, however, have been reported. One injured person, Nguyễn Công Hà, 33, the owner of the four-storey house, was treated at Sa Pa general hospital.

Five people were reportedly inside the four-storey house at the time of its collapsing, however rescuers quickly helped them to escape.

Meanwhile, the number of persons inside the other two houses has not been confirmed by local authorities.   

Additionally, Lào Cai Province’s Transport Department deputy chairman Hồ Cao Khải said up to 15.000 cu.m. of rock had fallen onto the 4D Highway and was blocking traffic. The highway is expected to be cleared by 6pm today.

Also, local military and police forces were mobilized to bring families to safety and later remove the debris.

Trần Xuân Hiện, head of the  Infrastructure Management Office at the department, said landslides collapsed a hill, causing traffic jams for many hours today.        

According to Hiện, the province is still suffering from heavy rains. A large amount of soil and rock buried some 100 meters of 4D Highway. The area is being monitored due to the large rocks which could fall from the mountains overhead, causing greater risks to those carrying out rescue efforts, as well as clearing the roads.  

“Immediately after the incident, the Department mobilized human forces and machinery, in collaboration with the Sa Pa People’s Committee, to carry out the rescue, while taking immediate measures to ensure traffic continues moving,” Hiện said.

“We are breaking rocks and paving the road using small stones to prevent slipping. However, the rain is continuing, making the work difficult,” added Hiện.

Lào Cai Province’s Department of Transport regulated the flow of traffic to keep the roads heading in and out of the province open.   

Local police, authorities of Lào Cai province and Sa Pa District, along with transport inspectors, were asked to closely co-ordinate their work. – VNS