According to Le Anh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Gia Lai Department of Construction, at midday on November 11 that he was overseeing efforts to clear landslides and ensure traffic safety along the highway through Quy Nhon Nam Ward.
Widespread heavy rain battered eastern Gia Lai from the night of November 10 into the following morning, causing water levels to rise in the lower reaches of the Ha Thanh and Kon rivers around Quy Nhon.
At around 10 am on November 11, water suddenly cascaded down Vung Chua Mountain onto National Highway 1D, nearly sweeping away a passing motorcyclist.
A truck stopped to block the rushing water while several people helped the rider and motorcycle across the flooded section.
Elsewhere along the highway, heavy rain triggered a landslide near Quy Hoa Pass, sending soil and rocks from Vung Chua Mountain onto the road and burying a stretch several dozen metres long.
Large amounts of debris blocked the highway, leaving a truck stranded.
Gia Lai traffic police and local authorities deployed personnel to divert vehicles, install warning barriers and clear debris from the affected sections.
Tuan said heavy rain had washed soil and sand from the mountainside onto the highway.
Additional machinery and equipment were being mobilised to clear the landslides, with traffic temporarily restricted to one-way movement.
"The road surface is largely undamaged. We are focusing on clearing the debris to restore traffic," he added.
National Highway 1D connects Quy Nhon with Dak Lak and southern provinces.
The route carries substantial traffic, particularly freight trucks and passenger vehicles, and is also used by motorists seeking to avoid Cu Mong Pass.
