Local residents believe that projects developed atop several mountains in Nha Trang, a beach city in the south-central Vietnamese province of Khanh Hoa, are behind recent deadly landslides that affected the residential areas below.

At least 18 people were killed and several remain missing after downpours triggered mudslides in multiple areas across the city last weekend.

Officials said most of the victims were buried uder massive piles of mud and rocks which fell down the mountains, and rescue efforts had been severely impeded by the difficult terrain.   

Residents of Thanh Phat village, Phuoc Dong Commune, comprised the majority of the victims.

The houses of Thanh Phat Village are situated at the foot of the mountain. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The locality was establish in the early 2000s with more than 300 houses at the foot of a mountain, Nguyen Le Van, a 58-year-old resident stated, adding that this is the first tragedy of this type to hit the area.

Van and his neighbors believed that a villa complex project being carried out on the mountaintop is responsible for the fatal landslide.

The project Van was referring to is the Panorama Villas, or the Haborizon Nha Trang, which is in development by Ho Chi Minh City-based The Gioi Xanh Investment and Construction Company.

Aside from Thanh Phat, Thanh Dat village is also situated at the foot of the same mountain where the project is being developed.

The aftermath of the landslide that was caused after the swimming pool of Hoang Phu project broke in Vinh Hoa Ward, Nha Trang City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The project’s environmental impact assessment report was previously approved by the Khanh Hoa People’s Committee.

The developer has so far only been permitted to perform land reclamation to prepare for the construction.

According a representative of The Gioi Xanh, the project is currently suspended in order to apply landslide prevention measures.

“The mudslide that hit Thanh Phat village was outside of the project area,” the representative added.

An aerial photo of the landslide aftermath in Vinh Hoa Ward. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Meanwhile, at the Tay Hoa residential area in Vinh Hoa Ward, where a rockslide previously killed four family members and destroyed nine homes, luxury housing project Hoang Phu is also underway on top of a nearby mountain.

Thanh Chau Company, the project’s developer, had a swimming pool dug up at the mountain’s edge about a week prior to the disaster.

On the day of the incident, the pool broke, releasing large amount of water, rock, onto the houses below.

The Khanh Hoa Department of Police confirmed on Wednesday they are working with the provincial Department of Construction to examine the Hoang Phu project.

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