On the morning of August 29, 2023, a delegation of the Provincial People's Committee of Dak Lak Province led by Vice Chairman Nguyen Thien Van conducted a survey and assessment of the landslide situation along Krong Ana River in Lak district.

Delegation of the Provincial People's Committee of Đắk Lắk Province surveyed the situation of landslides along Krong Ana River in Lak district.

According to a report from Lak District People's Committee, the inspection found that there were some landslides along Krong Ana River in the district. Specifically, at the first location, a 1,210-meter landslide occurred in the section of the river that is licensed for sand extraction by the Tay Nguyen Construction Materials Joint Stock Company in Yang Tao commune; at the second location, a 570-meter landslide occurred in the section of the river that is licensed for sand extraction by Doan Chinh Nghia Joint Stock Company in Yang Tao commune; at the third location, a 430-meter landslide occurred in the section of the river that is licensed for sand extraction by Tay Nguyen Construction Materials Joint Stock Company in Dak Lieng commune.

In addition, in the 14.5-kilometer extraction area of Tay Nguyen Construction Materials Joint Stock Company, there are two landslide points that have been approved by the Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee as prohibited areas for sand extraction, with a total length of 1.85 kilometers. Three households in this area have land that has been affected by landslides, with a total area of 0.35 hectares.

A hotspot of landslide on the bank of Krông Ana River in Lắk district.

According to Lak District People's Committee, there are currently three companies licensed by the provincial government to extract sand along Krong Ana River in the district. The district's inspection team has requested that the companies temporarily suspend sand extraction at the landslide locations mentioned above while the competent authorities determine the specific causes of the landslides. The team has also requested that companies operating in the district's mineral extraction sector comply strictly with the current mineral laws and regulations in the exploration, extraction, processing, and use of minerals, as well as ensuring safety, labor hygiene, and public order in the locality.

The delegation agreed that there are many possible causes of the landslides, including the construction of reservoirs in the river basin, sand extraction that affects the riverbed, and extreme weather events such as prolonged heavy rains. The delegation also took note of Lak District People's Committee's proposal to build a landslide prevention system along Krong Ana River.

Meeting between the working delegation and Lak District People's Committee

In his concluding remarks, Vice Chairman Nguyen Thien Van requested that Lak District People's Committee, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Public Security Department strengthen inspection and supervision to ensure that the sand extraction activities of licensed companies comply with regulations on vehicle registration and quantity; ensure location positioning, route, and time and location of extraction as registered, especially in prohibited and temporarily prohibited areas; and also conduct public awareness campaigns so that people can promptly report violations in sand extraction.