People stranded on Khánh Lê Pass for two days were rescued by the local police. Photo courtesy of the Lâm Đồng Traffic Police

LÂM ĐỒNG – Traffic police in Lâm Đồng Province, on the evening of November 18, crossed a series of landslide-hit sections to reach, supply and rescue eleven people together with several vehicles that had been stranded for two days by landslide on Khánh Lê Pass.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyễn Văn Tiếp, head of the Lâm Đồng Traffic Police, after more than four hours navigating numerous landslide sites, traffic police and rescue teams managed to reach eleven people, five lorries and one car trapped on Khánh Lê Pass on National Highway 27C, connecting Đà Lạt and Nha Trang cities.

Since the night of November 16, the area on the pass had been cut off after continuous rock and soil slides blocked both directions.

Among the stranded vehicles were five lorries, including two carrying flowers and a car.

Rescue forces reached the group and delivered drinking water and essential food supplies to those stranded, including drivers, assistants and travellers.

The police said that the health of those affected remained stable, despite having endured two days with limited access to water and food.

The police clearing the way to reach stranded people and vihecles on Khánh Lê Pass. Photo courtesy of the Lâm Đồng Traffic Police

At midday on November 18, after receiving information that two lorries carrying flowers from Đà Lạt were stuck on Khánh Lê Pass, the Lâm Đồng Traffic Police immediately mobilised excavators and personnel to the scene for rescue operations.

However, persistent heavy rain throughout the day caused additional landslides on the pass. Traffic police were forced to clear soil and rock section by section in order to reach the isolated vehicles.

After delivering essential supplies, traffic police and rescue teams continued using excavators to open the route and assist the lorries in returning to Đà Lạt to change route and avoid the dangerous sections on Khánh Lê Pass.

The authorities in Khánh Hòa Province were also urgently clearing debris from the foot of the pass upward.

At several locations, huge boulders blocked the road, making it impossible for machinery to clear them, requiring controlled blasting to remove the rocks and ensure safety before reopening the route. VNS