Prolonged torrential rain has caused new landslides on several passes in Lam Dong Province, including the Mimosa and Prenn routes in Dalat.
Authorities in Xuan Huong-Dalat Ward on December 4 worked with relevant agencies to cut fallen trees and clear debris to reopen the Mimosa, Prenn and Sa Com passes to traffic.
According to local authorities, overnight downpours on December 3 triggered multiple landslides along uphill talus sections of all three passes, sending soil, rocks and trees crashing onto the carriageway.
Fallen trees on the Mimosa Pass (Photo by Van Minh)
A major landslide on the Mimosa Pass left a large mass of soil and rocks blocking the road, prompting the deployment of workers and machinery to clear the site. Numerous fallen trees were also reported on the Prenn and Sa Com passes and were removed to maintain traffic flow.
Early on December 4, intense rain sent a fresh volume of soil and rocks tumbling from an uphill slope onto the D’ran Pass, burying parts of the carriageway. The landslide occurred close to an earlier slip near Xeo Bridge and caused further disruption.
Meanwhile, a hillside behind a residential area in Village 4 of Kbang Commune, Gia Lai Province, has developed long cracks and deep gullies, leaving dozens of households worried about potential landslides.
A landslide on D'ran Pass in Dalat (Photo by An Chi)
Earlier, on November 20, prolonged rain triggered a landslide on the Mimosa Pass, paralysing traffic after a 100-metre section of roadbed subsided and slid down the slope. The pass remained closed until November 30, when a temporary bypass was completed.
On the Prenn Pass, a landslide near Datanla Bridge caused reinforced-concrete structures on the downhill slope to collapse into a ravine, cutting into the carriageway and leaving cracks stretching up to 100 metres. The route was temporarily reopened on November 25.
The Mimosa and Prenn passes, each 10-11 kilometres long and part of National Highway 20, are key transport links connecting Dalat with southern provinces.
