VietNamNet Bridge – Residents living along banks of rivers and canals in HCM City have been in a state of anxious suspense for many years as landslides often occur after heavy rains or high tides.

Meanwhile, implementation of the city’s erosion-control projects has proceeded too slowly.

Scientists, who have analysed extreme weather patterns, have predicted that gardens and houses could be swept into the river during heavy rains and high tides.

In recent months, parts of the left bank of the Lo-Tac Muong Lon Canal in Hiep Phuoc commune of Nha Be District have eroded.

In addition, nine places in residential quarters located on the two banks of Cay Kho Canal have been marked as “hot spots” which are facing very high risks.

There are many households living on the bank of the short section of canal, 250 meters long, from the Cay Kho confluence to Tac Ben Ro in Phuoc Loc Commune. Landslides have occurred many times since 2011.

Hiep Phuoc, Phuoc Loc, Phuoc Kien and Nhon Duc communes, where people live close to the riverbank, are also facing serious problems. The residents in Phuoc Long bridge area in Nha Be district are are in fear when it rains heavily.

Tran The Ky, deputy director of the HCM City Transport Department, said there are 38  spots in the city at risk, mostly in the districts of Binh Thanh, Thu Duc, Nha Be and Can Gio. Of these, 18 are in “very high danger” and 11 in “high danger”.

A serious landslide occurred in May in the area of Ly Van Hanh Canal in Tan Nhut Commune of Binh Chanh. Scientists said it could easily occur again. Twenty-five households in the Cui Hamlet of Binh Hung Commune have been asked to evacuate.

Tens of households in Binh My Hamlet, Binh Khanh Commune of Can Gio District lost their houses during a landslide several months ago.

Ky said the sites most in danger are located on the left and right banks of the Saigon River, which includes crowded residential quarters.

Residents wait for solutions

A report from the HCM City Committee for the Flood Prevention, Search and Rescue showed that in 2013, there were 12 tornadoes and thunderstorms, five occurrences of high tides at the third alarm level, and 16 embankment and canal landslides.

City authorities spent a great deal of money on a series of projects to solidify dykes and evacuate households from landslide-stricken areas. However, the projects have been making no headway.

The implementation of the Thanh Da ditch consolidation project, for example, which was marked as urgent work, has not been completed, though it kicked off in 2007.

Sources said the problem is not due to technical issues, because the design of the 11 anti-landslide projects has been completed. They said project implementation has been going slowly because of a lack of capital.

Thien Nhien