For many years, scientists and specialized agencies in Thai Nguyen Province have been unable to identify the cause of soil subsidence and cracks in homes in Trai Cau hamlet, Cay Thi commune, Dong Hy district. This situation has left over a hundred households living in constant fear as the fields continue to crack daily, making it increasingly difficult to grow rice and other crops.
Whenever subsidence occurs, residents report it to local officials, but no agency has provided an explanation for the subsidence or offered compensation to the affected residents.
Trai Cau hamlet is predominantly inhabited by the San Diu ethnic minority, who have settled here for generations, with their primary occupation being the cultivation and intensive farming of rice.
Cracks are increasingly spreading
Since 2006, the Thac Lac 3 quarry (iron ore mining site of the Trai Cau Iron Mine, operated by Thai Nguyen Steel Company), which is located adjacent to the rice fields of Trai Cau, has expanded its operations and deepened its mining activities, leading to a persistent water shortage for local farmers.
Water is drawn into the fields day and night, but it runs dry within hours. The groundwater is rapidly depleted, causing the fields to dry out quickly, resulting in poor soil moisture, nutrient loss, and reduced rice yields.
Mr. Lai Van Nguyen, the head of Trai Cau hamlet, reported that the phenomenon of soil subsidence began in late 2006 and continues to occur widely with increasing danger. Out of 130 households in Trai Cau, over 100 have been impacted by subsidence, severely affecting their crops. Eighteen households have faced damage to their homes, with wells running dry, and many foundations, kitchens, and walls suffering significant cracks. More than 20 hectares of fertile land that sustains the community is being desertified due to water scarcity.
He took us to the fields currently growing corn, beans, and peanuts (as rice cannot be planted due to water loss). The cracks stretch for several dozen meters, with occasional sinkholes as deep as 4-6 meters. Mr. Nguyen lamented: “Water never fills these holes; no matter how much grass or trash is thrown in, it simply disappears. Out of fear, residents have surrounded these areas with bamboo to protect children and livestock, but each year the holes grow wider, threatening to swallow more of our productive land.“
The sinkholes, measuring over 1 meter in length and 3-5 cm wide, crisscross the fields. During the planting season, the water never fills, and all fertilizer applied is washed away. The cracks have drained the entire surface water layer, making farming extremely difficult.
In Mr. Lai Van Nam’s field, a sinkhole measures 15 meters in diameter and is 3-4 meters deep. Initially, the hole was only 6-7 meters wide, but as the soil and crops were gradually pulled down, both households lost their arable land. Mr. Lai Van Quy had more than 2 sao (approximately 1,000 square meters) of rice field but now has to switch to growing beans because the sinkhole has distorted the land into a bowl shape, preventing proper water retention for rice cultivation.
Adjacent to the mining site, fish ponds have cracked at the bottom, with some holes plunging over 5 meters deep and about 3 meters wide, now overgrown with grass. Concerned for their livestock, residents have fenced these areas with bamboo. Nearby, a fourth-class house belonging to Mrs. Pham Thi Bich has been abandoned for over three years due to extensive wall cracks, forcing the owner to move to the edge of the hamlet to buy land for a new home.
Mrs. Pham Thi Bich shared, “Previously, we only had cracks in the house and dry wells, but one morning I woke up to find the fish pond also dry, with no fish left. The banks cracked, and out of fear, I couldn’t return home, so I quickly moved to the edge of the hamlet. More than 10 households that can’t escape live in constant anxiety, as not only the houses but also auxiliary structures are affected.
This land subsidence has continued for several years. Numerous delegations from provincial to district levels have visited Trai Cau, but no one has provided answers to the residents about the root cause. This lack of clarity has led many locals to abandon their fields and seek work elsewhere.
The phenomenon of land subsidence in the Trai Cau area has persisted since 2006, continuing to severely impact the lives and production of local residents. Due to the absence of an official conclusion from relevant authorities regarding the causes of the subsidence and water loss, the community remains in a state of confusion and concern; furthermore, there is no basis for compensation or support for affected residents.
Thus, it is crucial to clearly identify the causes of land subsidence and water loss in Trai Cau to develop compensation plans and assist local residents in stabilizing their lives.
