Pham Duc Nam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Van commune, confirmed the welcome gate collapsed and broke in half due to a landslide at 7h. Initial investigations identified the cause as water accumulation from two consecutive storms, numbers 10 and 11, which led to thousands of cubic meters of earth and rock sliding down from the mountain peak.

"Fortunately, the welcome gate acted as a barrier; otherwise, the earth and rock would have completely flooded the Geopark Museum", Nam said.

According to Nam, local authorities had noticed signs of a landslide and blocked the road since 6h. At the time of the landslide, no one was passing through. Currently, relevant units are mobilized to manage the situation, clear debris, and reopen the road.

This morning, the sun is out, but the risk of further landslides remains high. Many road sections connecting villages within the commune are still congested due to landslides, requiring excavators to work continuously to clear them quickly. Tourists can currently visit Dong Van but should carefully consider the weather and warnings to ensure safety.

The collapse follows a period of severe weather. On 1/10, Ha Giang 1 and Ha Giang 2 wards experienced heavy flooding, considered the largest in the past 50 years. This event cut off many routes connecting popular tourist destinations like Dong Van and Lo Lo Chai, leaving tourists stranded for one to two nights.

After Typhoon Matmo made landfall in Vietnam on 6/10, Ha Giang experienced prolonged heavy rain. This, combined with water accumulated from storm number 10 a few days prior, made many hilly areas susceptible to dangerous landslides.

The welcome gate in Dong Van collapsed on the morning of 8/10. Photo: People's Committee of Dong Van Commune

The Dong Van commune welcome gate, which was scheduled to be inaugurated in 11/2024, served as a symbolic structure for the nation's northernmost region. The structure was 10,5 m wide and 6,3 m high, constructed from 740 stones, nearly 18,5 cubic meters of wood, and over 26,000 yin-yang tiles. Its total construction cost exceeded 1,5 billion VND, entirely funded through social contributions. The welcome gate held architectural and cultural significance for Dong Van and was a popular check-in spot for tourists.

Tu Nguyen