A 30-year-old tourist from Ho Chi Minh City has gone missing after entering the water with a friend at Khau Lan Waterfall in Quan Ba Commune, Tuyen Quang Province, on the evening of September 2.
Emergency rescue teams were deployed immediately after authorities received reports of the incident. Personnel equipped with specialised rescue equipment were sent to the scene.
The search operation has been complicated by the waterfall's remote location in a mountainous forest area, where access is difficult and terrain conditions are challenging.
Speaking to Dantri, a representative of Quan Ba Commune Police said rescue efforts were continuing but faced significant obstacles due to strong upstream flows, fast-moving currents and deep pools beneath the waterfall. Moss-covered rocks have also made the area particularly slippery and hazardous.
Rescue workers are using ropes and specialised equipment to search caves, rock crevices and areas around the base of the waterfall. Search efforts have also been expanded downstream as authorities race to locate the missing tourist.
Khau Lan Waterfall is situated in a valley in Quan Ba Commune, approximately 40 kilometres from the centre of the former Ha Giang Province. The site is known for its dramatic natural scenery, surrounded by dense tropical forest.
Its powerful stream flows between large rock formations before plunging into a pool below. Large tree trunks stretching across the water add to the waterfall's rugged and untouched appearance.
The waterfall has not yet been officially developed for tourism. Most visitors travel there independently.
Travel forums frequently advise visitors to be accompanied by local guides to avoid getting lost and to improve safety in the remote area.
Travellers are also advised to avoid visiting during the rainy season, when dense forest conditions increase the risk of encounters with insects and venomous reptiles, while rising water levels can make the area particularly dangerous.