Large crowds gathered at fuel stations across Dalat on the night of November 20 as residents rushed to buy petrol and diesel over fears of supply shortages after multiple access roads to the city were closed due to landslides.
At a station on Mai Anh Dao Street in Lam Vien-Dalat Ward, long queues formed as customers waited to buy fuel.
Nguyen Chien Thang from Langbiang-Dalat Ward said the Prenn, Mimosa and D’ran passes leading into Dalat had been shut due to landslides.
“At the moment, vehicles can only enter Dalat via the Ta Nung and Sa Com passes. However, at midday today authorities banned trucks weighing over 3.5 tonnes from Ta Nung Pass, which prevents fuel tankers from reaching the city. I believe fuel may become scarce so I brought a 20 litre container to buy and store some as a precaution,” Thang said.
A similar situation occurred at a station on Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street in Langbiang-Dalat Ward, where staff worked at full capacity to meet rising demand.
As crowds grew larger, staff at the Xo Viet Nghe Tinh station repeatedly announced that supply remained stable and urged people to return home. Despite this, many continued to gather to buy fuel.
One resident carrying a large container said the family operated various machinery for construction work and needed significant amounts of fuel. “If we run out of petrol or diesel, all work will be disrupted,” he said.
During the night, the Lam Dong Department of Construction issued a notice lifting the ban on vehicles over 3.5 tonnes on Ta Nung Pass. Meanwhile, Petrolimex Lam Dong announced that fuel supply remained stable and urged residents to stay calm.
