Search efforts continue in Hướng Hóa District, central Quảng Trị Province on Monday morning. — VNA/VNS Photo

QUẢNG TRỊ — Eight more dead bodies of soldiers and officers missing in a severe landslide in Hướng Hóa District, central Quảng Trị Province were found on Monday.

After one day of searching, the bodies of all of the 22 missing have been recovered at 2pm on Monday. 

The landslide hit the military barracks of the Economic and National Defence Group, Division 337 of the Military Region 4 in early hours of Sunday morning and buried 22 soldiers and officers.

In spite of non-stop rain in the central region, hundreds of people have been searching for the bodies. 

Lieutenant General Nguyễn Tân Cương, Deputy Minister of National Defence, said ambulances had accessed the area on Monday morning to move the dead bodies out of the rubble.

Bodies of the deceased found on Sunday will be transferred to Đông Hà City.

The biggest obstacle now was prolonged rain and further risks of flash flood and more landslides, he said.

Meanwhile, torrential rain and more landslides have hindered the rescue efforts to find more bodies in another tragedy in central Thừa Thiên-Huế Province.

Last week, a landslide buried 13 soldiers and officials of a rescue team and dozens of workers at Rào Trăng 3 Hydropower Plant.

The bodies of the soldiers and officials have been found sent back to their hometowns for burial. Only two plant workers’ bodies have so far been recovered.

It is estimated that more than 30,000 cu.m of soil and rocks of big sizes had fallen down and buried victims at the depth of 5 to 7m.

Two landslide spots near the hydropower plant made the operation headquarter and campsite collapse, burying 17 workers. — VNS