A landslide damaged 14 houses in Cà Mau Province’s Năm Căn District at midnight on Saturday. — VNA/VNS Photo Huỳnh Anh

CÀ MAU — Severe erosion of a canal bank in Cà Mau Province at midnight on Saturday damaged 14 houses, according to the local steering committee for natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue.

The landslide occurred along the Kênh 17 Canal in the Kênh 17 Market area in Năm Căn District’s Tam Giang Commune, completely damaging 12 houses and partially damaging two others.

A 50-metre wide and 15-metre deep stretch of land along the bank slid into the water.  

There were no casualties but the damage to property has been estimated at around VNĐ810 milion (US$35,000).

Tô Hoài Phương, chairman of the district People’s Committee, said authorities visited the affected households and mobilised forces on Sunday to help clear the rubble.

They would help the affected people move to safe areas and subsequently stabilise their lives, he added.

Local authorities gave them VNĐ33 million ($1,420) for immediate relief.  

Five households live near the eroded area, and authorities are encouraging them to move to safety.

An earlier landslide on June 28 destroyed a house in Năm Căn Town, causing a loss of VNĐ150 million ($6,460).

Năm Căn is one of the localities in the province hardest hit by erosion during rains, and many of its residents live close to rivers and canals, which exacerbates the problem.  

The southernmost province has 27 dangerously eroded areas with a combined length of 37 kilometres. Of them, eight spots measuring a total of 4.7 kilometres pose severe danger to more than 1,000 households.

In recent years province authorities have encouraged households in erosion-prone areas to move out and relocated many of them.

The province has also carried anti-erosion works to protect their lives and properties.

The province has 254 kilometres of coast and more than 10,000 kilometres of rivers and canals. —  VNS