Phu Tho: Death hole appears, wants to "swallow" people's houses

The incident occurred on the afternoon of July 6 at the household of Mrs. Bui Thi Thuong (Tham hamlet, Muong Hoa commune). Accordingly, a large sinkhole suddenly appeared, eating deep into the ground and solid foundation of the house, directly threatening the lives and property of 5 family members.

According to local authorities, the hole is about 8-9m in diameter and 4-8m deep, expanding from the initial crater that appeared on June 29; on July 3, the subsidence temporarily stopped, but then developed again.

Notably, the crater has now sunk about 1.5m into the house's foundation, putting the entire structure in danger.

Mr. Bui Van Don, Vice Chairman of Muong Hoa Commune People's Committee confirmed that this is the most serious subsidence ever recorded in the area, directly affecting 2 households with a total of 10 people.

On July 10, an inspection team from the People's Committee of Phu Tho province, including representatives from the Department of Construction, the Department of Agriculture and Environment, and experts from the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, was present at the scene, surveyed and assessed geological risks, and visited and encouraged affected households.

Muong Hoa Commune People's Committee has sent a document requesting Phu Tho Provincial People's Committee to direct specialized departments and branches to promptly come up with solutions to overcome the situation and ensure the safety of people's lives and property in the landslide area.

In Phu Tho province, a dangerous sinkhole recently appeared right on the side of National Highway 12B, Thuong Coc commune, forcing the authorities to urgently intervene to handle it on the evening of July 9.

Previously, the hole was discovered by locals on June 11, measuring just under 1 meter wide and about 40 centimeters deep, appearing right next to the roadside, just a few meters from a house. Due to its small size, local authorities have temporarily put up warning ropes and are monitoring developments.

However, within a few weeks, the hole kept expanding. By early July, the hole was about 6 meters in diameter and 1.5 meters deep, washing away part of the concrete yard in front of the house and accumulating rainwater underneath, creating a deep hole filled with water like an open well. People in the area were scared when they saw the ground in front of their house sinking every day, threatening the foundation of the building and their safety.

Local authorities have repeatedly filled the hole with soil, rocks, and gravel, with a total volume of about 50-60m³.

However, the attempts to fill the hole were unsuccessful, the soil and rock were continuously sucked away, the bottom of the hole was still more than 2m deep. Authorities have not yet determined the exact cause, but suspect it is related to weak geological structure or the collapse of the underground karst cave system.

On the evening of July 9, the authorities coordinated with the Thuong Coc commune government to thoroughly handle the case.

The hole is filled with a compacted soil and rock mixture and leveled.

Since July 10, the warning signs have been removed. The commune People's Committee has assigned the hamlet chief in charge of the area to continue to closely monitor the subsidence phenomenon and prepare a response plan if new geological changes occur.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/phu-tho-ho-tu-than-xuat-hien-muon-nuot-nha-dan-post803333.html