Local residents have voiced their concern and anger over a stinky smell from waste piles that have covered multiple coastal areas in Vietnam’s southern Kien Giang Province, while authorities attributed the stench to sewage discharged from local households.

The trash piles were found along an over-three-kilometer coastline in the provincial city of Rach Gia.

Several parks were built along these coastal areas to meet local people’s need for gathering and entertainment, but they have refrained from visiting the parks due to the stench, H, a local inhabitant, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Thursday.

Authorities should come up with solutions to the issue, she suggested.

A large amount of waste is seen at two coastal restaurants in Rach Gia City, Kien Giang Province, located in southern Vietnam. Photo: Buu Dau / Tuoi Tre

Commenting on the issue, Bui Trung Truc, vice-chairman of the Rach Gia administration, said that ocean winds and waves often blow a large amount of trash ashore on the Rach Gia coastline during this season.

The locals have expressed their concerns over the issue several times, but long-term solutions are unavailable, he elaborated.

The authorities initially planned to build a fence to prevent trash from being washed ashore, but the fencing will cause troubles for vessels, the local official explained.

He added that this southern province has no sewage treatment plants, resulting in sewage from local households being discharged directly into the sea.

The sewage plus the trash piles washed ashore gave off the stinky smell, he continued.

The province developed a zoning plan to build a sewage treatment plant but has little funding to build the facility, the official said.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!