Vietnamese Nationals Rescued from Landslide Stranded in Laos
All 45 Vietnamese nationals who were stranded due to landslides on a road connecting Bolikhamxay province in central Laos with Hà Tĩnh Province in central Việt Nam have been successfully rescued by Lao authorities. The landslides occurred on August 3 along National Highway 8 of Laos, causing traffic congestion in several areas. Both ends of the road were impacted, leaving numerous vehicles and their occupants stranded. The affected areas, located in mountainous regions, lacked mobile phone signal coverage, exacerbating the situation.
To address the crisis, the Lao Ministry of National Defence dispatched a rescue team led by Deputy Minister Lt. Gen. Chanthong Sonetaat. Prompt action was taken to save the stranded individuals. According to the Vietnamese attaché office in Laos, there were 45 Vietnamese nationals, traveling in 22 vehicles, trapped between Km45 and Km66 of National Highway 8. By the evening of August 5, all 45 individuals had been rescued, with 35 being transferred to Khamkert District of Bolikhamxay Province and the remaining 10 to Khounkham District of Khammouane Province. Currently, all of them are receiving necessary care and are in the process of recovering.
However, amidst the operation, a truck with an unidentified driver was found buried under rubble. The rescue team stated their inability to determine whether the driver was a Lao or a Vietnamese citizen.
As a result of the situation, all coaches traveling from Laos to Việt Nam that were originally stranded on the Lao side have diverted their route to enter Việt Nam through Cha Lo Border Gate in Quảng Bình province.
The Department of Public Works and Transport of Bolikhamxay Province announced the temporary closure of a section of National Highway 8 near Cầu Treo Border Gate in Hà Tĩnh Province on August 4, due to landslides. Authorities are working diligently to restore traffic on this route as soon as possible.
