Lai Châu to evacuate people high-risk areas

July 10, 2018 - 19:15

In preparation for extreme weather event over upcoming days, the mountainous province of Lai Châu has come up with a plan to evacuate people living in high-risk areas of landslide, the Vietnam News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Pá Sập Village is at risk from landslides. — VNA/VNS Photo Công Tuyên
Viet Nam News

LAI CHÂU — The mountainous province of Lai Châu is preparing to evacuate areas prone to landslides as it braces for heavy weather over the next few days, the Vietnam News Agency reported on Tuesday.

The last floods at the end of June caused landslides in Pá Sập Village and opened up a 400m fissure on a nearby mountain.

“It rained heavily on June 24. We had no place to escape. It was too late to evacuate the village so we had to stay at home. In the worst scenario, we could have all been killed,” said resident Sìn Văn Sên.

Responding to the emergency, Nậm Nhùn District People’s Committee has instructed authorities to move residents to safety as soon as possible.

Nguyễn Thành Phương, deputy head of Nậm Nhùn District’s Military Steering Committee, said that the district military had collaborated with the youth union to help the people of Pá Sập Village construct shacks and move their belongings to Pá Đởn Village, 1km from their homes.

Authorities have also given each household VNĐ3 million (US$130) to reinforce their homes and VNĐ20 million ($860) to relocate.

The evacuation is expected to be completed by July 15.

Phạm Đức Minh, head of Nậm Nhùn District People’s Committee, said it had been difficult to move people out of high-risk areas due to the lack of access and budget. The resettlement area for Pá Sập Village is located in a forest, so the Government needed to clear a part to make it accessible in case of extreme weather.

“District authorities are calling for support to evacuate the area in case of floods and landslides during the coming raining season and ensuring people’s livelihoods,” said Minh. — VNS

 

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