Hydropower dam fracture deluges Highlands province

The dam at Ia Krel 2 hydropower plant on Po Co River in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai broke again on Friday, causing a flash flood that devastated crops and infrastructure.

About 60 hectares of crops were flooded and 30 hectares of rubber trees were damaged, according to Duc Co District authorities.

Hoang Cong Lu, vice chairman of Gia Lai Province's People's Committee, said local authorities had evacuated residents from the flooded areas.


Nguyen Ngoc An, deputy director of the Bao Long Gia Lai Industries and Hydropower Company, the investor of the plant, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) that cracks were found across the surface of the dam at 8:00 am on Friday. Thirty minutes later, they broke a 100-metre section of the dam, causing water to flow out and submerge the surrounding area.

Last year, when 30 metres of the dam broke, local authorities spent nearly VND3 billion (US$141.4 million) to compensate those living nearby for property damages, An said.

Damages from the latest incident have not yet been calculated.

"We sent an urgent report regarding the incident to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung for instructions and assistance", said Hoang Cong Lu, deputy chairman of the provincial People's Committee.

The Ministry of Construction requested on Saturday that Gia Lai province authorities co-ordinate with the ministries of industry and trade and agriculture and rural development to determine what caused the incident.

Relevant agencies were also asked to send reports to the Ministry of Construction about the safety of other lakes and dams in the province by the end of the month.