HCM City faces high risks of land erosion in rainy season

HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City faces high risks of land erosion in the rainy season due to invasion of river banks, canals, illegal sand mining, together with climate change causing rains, storms and rising sea levels.

The city has nearly 1,000 kilometres of rivers, including about 800 kilometres of inland waterways. Fast urbanisation has made the invasion of canals and rivers more severe. In the first half this year, 120 cases of river and canals invasion have yet to be handled.

Four serious land erosion incidents occurred in a row along Rach Tom canal in Nhon Duc and Hiep Phuoc communes, Nha Be district; and Ben Binh Dong Street in district 8.

Bui Xuan Cuong, Director of the municipal Department of Transport, said by July 1, there were 40 erosion spots.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem has assigned the municipal Department of Transport to work with the People’s Committees of districts on classifying erosion and implementing projects to protect river banks, canals and sea dikes.

Warning signs must be planted at vulnerable spots and buoys should be used to ensure safety for vehicles passing through erosion sites. Publicity campaigns are needed to raise awareness of land erosion to minimise damages.

The municipal People’s Committee requested the city’s Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue to detail measures to prevent and control land erosion along river banks and beaches.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development was asked to effectively implement planning schemes on residential allocation to prevent natural disasters from 2011 – 2015 with a vision to 2020, while the Department of Construction was requested to handle residential resettlement and invasion of safety corridors along rivers and canals.

The city also asked districts with high risks of erosion to prevent citizens from returning to erosion sites.-VNA