Trung Hạ commune, Thanh Hóa
From the night of 15 September to the early hours of 17 September, prolonged heavy rain across northern Vietnam triggered a series of landslides that struck two provinces. In Trung Hạ commune, Thanh Hóa, a massive rock slide along National Route 217 on 15 September sent boulders onto the road and into the house of Vi Văn Hội. A large stone struck the bedroom wall, partially collapsing it and covering the sleeping area, but no injuries were reported. Local civil defence immediately evacuated the family, deployed warning signs, and intensified patrols at vulnerable slopes under a “four‑at‑place” safety plan.
Đà Bắc commune, Phú Thọ
A day later, a far more tragic event unfolded in Đà Bắc commune, Phú Thọ. Around 40 cubic metres of earth and rock from a talus slope collapsed onto the home of 51‑year‑old Xa Văn Dong in Thôn Tú Lý. The slide demolished two bedrooms and buried Dong, his wife Dinh Thị Hoan (47), and his relative Xa Thị Chinh (79). Rescue teams recovered all three bodies, confirming the deaths. Provincial authorities reported that, by 16 September, 252 households – about 1,040 residents – had been evacuated province‑wide, and 19 high‑risk landslide points were identified.
Evacuation and Response
Both provincial governments mobilised police, rescue units and disaster‑management agencies to secure the sites, conduct searches, and provide assistance to affected families. Senior officials, including Phú Thọ’s Party secretary and governor, visited the Da Bac scene to oversee response efforts and coordinate further preventive measures such as additional warning signage and slope monitoring.