HÀ TĨNH — Severe erosion along the left bank of Ngàn Sâu River in central Hà Tĩnh Province has affected the lives and livelihoods of around 1,200 residents in the region.

Nguyễn Văn Việt, deputy chairman of the province’s Hương Khê District, said there is severe erosion at 19 spots along the 20km river bank that runs through the district.

Lê Quang Vinh from the district’s agriculture and rural development division said erosion has affected the lives of 1,200 people in the district as well as crops and farming in the region.

While erosion began several years ago, it has become severe, akin to landslides, after the repeated floods in October and early November, Việt told local newspapers.

Hương Thủy Commune is the most severely affected by the erosion. Here, water has come four metres inland, claiming the land and soil of 370 families. Lê Xuân Định, a commune official, said there are landslides daily and they seem to be increasing.

In Lộc Yên Commune, strong currents swept away the bamboo fence, which served as a dyke and prevented soil erosion. Now, the commune’s main road has eroded and is only half its original width. Đặng Thị Tuyết, a local resident, said the water is coming closer and closer to her house.

Similarly, every day, thousands of residents in Hà Linh Commune use a road that has become dangerous after more than half of it collapsed into the river. Locals have put up signboards warning people from falling as much as five metres down. Erosion has also weakened the pillars of a suspended bridge and residents said they feel unsafe on it.

There have been landslides in other communes such as Hương Đô and Hương Trạch as well.

Vinh said the district People’s Committee has proposed the construction of a dyke at the erosion spots. That, however, is just an emergency solution, he said. The long-term solution is for local authorities to stop the power plant located on upper Ngàn Sâu River from releasing huge volumes water at one go, he said, adding that their other important task is to stop the illegal dredging of sand and rocks from the riverbed. — VNS