Around 12h on 7/5, the road surface in the An Binh and Khang Chong residential areas of Yen Thuy commune began to crack before suddenly collapsing, forming a large, deep hole in the middle of the road.

The sinkhole's opening is over 1 meter wide and approximately 2 meters deep. The hollowed-out area beneath, resembling an undercut, has expanded to nearly 3 meters, occupying almost the entire road width. Water is present at the bottom of the hole, and the subsidence continues to show signs of expanding, leading to a large section of the asphalt road collapsing.

A sinkhole appeared in Yen Thuy commune on 7/5. Photo: Nguyen Binh

Nguyen Binh, a resident living near the site, stated that the sinkhole is located close to a residential wall. Following the incident, residents immediately cordoned off the area with warning tape, preventing vehicles from passing due to concerns about the sinkhole expanding further and impacting traffic safety and nearby households.

According to a representative from the Yen Thuy commune economic department, the area was sunny at the time of the incident, but it had experienced frequent nighttime rain in recent days. The initial cause is likely an underground karst cave (a hollow formed by water dissolving limestone beneath the surface), where water flow over a long period caused the subsidence.

Authorities have temporarily prohibited vehicles from using this road section and have also used large rocks to fill the hole, aiming to prevent the cave from expanding further.

Yen Thuy commune is situated in a midland region characterized by low hills interspersed with valleys. Its geological foundation contains significant weathered rock and underground karst caves, posing a potential risk of subsidence when the underlying structure is eroded and hollowed out or when groundwater levels fluctuate.

Gia Chinh