Vietnam now has its first flood control dam.

Mud and rock dam in Son La

On the morning of April 16th, the Sabo dam, designed to prevent mudslides and rockfalls (flash floods) in the Nậm Păm stream basin, Mường La district, was inaugurated after more than six months of construction. The dam is 61 meters long, with a crest height of 9 meters, a spillway height of 6 meters, a crest width of 3 meters, and a base width of 6.6 meters, featuring six openings 2 meters wide between them. The project is expected to help protect 28 households, a kindergarten, and a cultural center on the left bank downstream of the dam.

The Sabo Dam is part of the Project to Enhance Capacity for Flood and Landslide Risk Reduction in the Northern Mountainous Region, using non-refundable ODA funds provided by Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Mr. Nguyen Truong Son, Deputy Director of the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention ( Ministry of Agriculture and Environment ), said that this is a pilot project. Because it is built as a standalone structure, the Sabo dam will find it difficult to fully realize its potential.

"We have proposed that the Japanese government continue to support Vietnam in building a comprehensive Sabo dam system on the Nam Pam river basin. If built comprehensively, this dam system could become a model for Vietnam to assess its effectiveness, and from there, consider mobilizing resources to invest in replicating it in other areas with similar risks," Mr. Son said.

Since the 19th century, Japan has studied and developed the Sabo dam system. These dams are built at critical points prone to flash floods, designed to allow water to flow through while retaining soil, rocks, and vegetation. To date, more than 64,000 Sabo dams of varying sizes have been constructed in Japan. The model has also been adopted in Taiwan and South Korea.

Landslides and flash floods cause significant loss of life and property in Vietnam. In 2024, Typhoon Yagi, with winds reaching level 14 and gusts up to level 17, struck northern Vietnam, causing major casualties primarily due to landslides and flash floods. In Lao Cai, the majority of the 132 deaths and 19 missing persons were due to these causes.

TH (according to VnExpress)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/viet-nam-lan-dau-co-dap-ngan-lu-quet-409572.html