Heavy rain in early October caused the Tra Khuc River to rise sharply, triggering serious erosion along its banks in Tra Giang Commune.
An Lac Village was among the worst-hit areas, with floodwaters cutting five to 10 metres into the riverbank and sweeping away large areas of cassava and acacia plantations.
The erosion has left a steep, exposed earth wall about four metres high, raising concerns that further rain and flooding could cause more land to collapse.
Nguyen Thi Lien, a resident of An Lac Village, owns 2,000 square metres of acacia plantation beside the river. Since early October, she has watched sections of her land collapse into the water, taking uprooted trees with them.
"The rain has not been particularly heavy, yet the erosion is already this severe. Soon there may be nothing left," Lien said.
She said she had been forced to harvest her acacia trees after just two years, fearing they would otherwise be swept away.
Another resident, Mai Dinh Me, said the erosion had accelerated after bamboo planted to protect the riverbank was gradually washed away.
Since the 2025 rainy season, the river has eroded about 20 metres into the bank in some areas.
"Without the bamboo barrier, the river is eating away at the land faster. If this continues, people will lose their farmland and houses near the river will be at risk," he said.
According to Tra Giang Commune authorities, erosion has affected approximately one kilometre of riverbank in An Lac Village, destroying three hectares of farmland belonging to 30 households.
Some crops were swept away before they could be harvested.
Erosion has also affected residential areas in Village 6 and An Tay Village, where the riverbank is now just 20 to 30 metres from Road 623B in several places.
Vo Dinh Hung, chairman of the Tra Giang Commune People's Committee, said weak geological conditions and strong flood currents had contributed to the damage, which has worsened since the 2025 rainy season.
In December 2025, Quang Ngai authorities declared a natural disaster emergency at erosion sites along the Tra Khuc River in Tra Giang Commune.
The commune has since requested provincial funding for emergency riverbank protection works to safeguard residents, farmland and transport infrastructure.
Local authorities are seeking urgent intervention before further flooding causes more extensive damage.
