Landslide buries van in Ha Giang mountains, 11 dead

Ma Van Toe, vice chairman of Bac Me District, where the tragic incident occurred, said the landslide occurred at around 4 a.m.

By 9:15 a.m. rescue teams had extricated 13 people from under the debris.

Nguyen Van Giao, director of Ha Giang’s Health Department, said seven of the victims were dead and the other six critically injured.

Rescue forces found three more dead victims by 2 p.m. and are still looking for five more people.

“Rain and the large area caused difficulties to the search and rescue efforts as well as the counting of victims,” Giao said.

A 16-seater van is buried in a landslide in Bac Me District of Ha Giang, July 13, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Binh

According to a witness, two vehicles, the other an SUV, were traveling through the area when the landslide occurred.

The smaller car managed to reverse out of the soil and rocks, but the van was trapped, the witness said.

“People got out of the seven-seater car to try and push the van out of the danger zone. But another sudden landslide hit, burying them [the people on the van and the car as well].”

Search and rescue forces and local people search for victims buried by landslides, July 13, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Binh

Local authorities said the exact number of people traveling in the van is not known yet since it was a passenger vehicle and the driver has not been found.

Rescue teams are continuing to look for victims.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported there was nearly 290 mm rainfall between 7 p.m. on Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday in Bac Quang District near Bac Me and nearly 280 mm in Quang Binh District next to Bac Quang.

Rescuers carry victims buried by a landslide in Ha Giang, July 13, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Binh

This is a developing story.