Huong Phung: another deadly landslide in Vietnam

Early on Sunday 18 October 2020 a large landslide struck an army barracks in Huong Phung commune in Huong Hoa District of Quang Tri Province  in Vietnam.  This was the latest in a series of deadly landslides in Vietnam in recent weeks, triggered by heavy rainfall.  It is the second event to kill a substantial number of soldiers.

The landslide, which happened at about 1 am, buried 22 soldiers in the barracks.  As I write, it is reported that 17 bodies have been recovered, whilst the search continues for the other five.  There seems to be little prospect of survivors at this stage.

The best image to illustrate the event that I have found is on the VnExplorer website, which seems to show a large collapse in deeply weathered soils:-

The landslide at Huong Phung in Vietnam on 18 October 2020. Image via VNExplorer, Photo: Tuoi Tre Contributor.

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Meanwhile, VnExpress has this image of the site of the barracks after the landslide:-

The landslide at Huong Phung in Vietnam on 18 October 2020. Image via VnExpress/Hoang Tao.

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It is interesting to note that at least some of the building have not collapsed.

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Quickslide 1: A landslide tragedy in Pakistan

Meanwhile in Pakistan, 15 people were buried in a minibus traveling bewteen Rawalpindi and Skardu.  Reports suggest the vehicle was pushed off the road and buried.  The prospects for survivors look bleak.

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Quickslide 2: 20 years after the Gondo landslide in Switzerland

Swissinfo has a good article about the 20th anniversary of the Gondo landslide, which occurred on 14 October 2000.  As the article notes, “the landslide swept away ten houses, the school, shops and the road. It also reduced most of the historic Stockalper Tower to rubble, leaving only the very oldest part of the building standing”.  A total of 13 people were killed in the landslide, which was triggered by three days of heavy rainfall.