Following the historic flooding in the lower reaches of the Ha Thanh River, authorities in Gia Lai Province are urgently dredging and clearing rivers and flood-drainage channels before the 2026 rainy season to reduce the risk of future flooding in communities on the outskirts of Quy Nhon.
On July 20, work was underway along the Cat River, which flows through Tuy Phuoc Commune and Quy Nhon Dong Ward, where workers and heavy machinery were clearing vegetation and restoring the river channel despite the hot weather.
Nguyen Van Truong, an official from the Gia Lai Provincial Agriculture and Rural Development Project Management Board, said that due to years of encroachment and ineffective management, many downstream branches of the Ha Thanh River have become clogged with homes, vegetation, and other structures. Some stretches are now almost entirely overgrown, severely restricting water flow.
As a result, major floods have been forced through increasingly narrow channels, creating bottlenecks that significantly worsen flooding.
The project management board said the provincial People's Committee has allocated more than VND17.2 billion (approximately US$660,000) for an emergency project to dredge the Ha Thanh River flood-drainage system in 2026. Once the river branches have been cleared, authorities will assess the natural flow patterns to prepare a comprehensive long-term investment plan.
As an immediate measure, the board is coordinating with local authorities to remove illegally encroaching structures and vegetation. Along a section of the Cat River in Luc Le Hamlet, workers are cutting down trees, dredging sediment, and reshaping the river channel.
However, many houses, structures and trees continue to encroach on the riverbed, complicating construction.
Duong Hoai Nam, the site's construction manager said that crews are working to clear a 4.5-kilometer stretch of the Cat River before moving on to the Cay Me River branch and the Nui Thom area. He noted that compensation and land clearance remain major obstacles and called on local residents and authorities to cooperate so the project can be completed before the rainy season.
Residents of Luc Le Hamlet recalled that the historic floods in November 2025 devastated homes, crops, livestock, and other property, leaving riverside communities badly damaged.
Tran Quang Tung, a 63-year-old resident of Thuan Lac Neighborhood, said the floods destroyed homes, farmland, schools, public offices, and local infrastructure.
As the rainy season nears, residents hope that the authorities will quickly clear the flood-drainage channels so flooding can be reduced and residents can feel more secure, he said.
Ngo Vinh Khanh, Director of the Irrigation Sub-Department under the Gia Lai Department of Agriculture and Environment, said that in addition to the Ha Thanh River dredging project, the provincial government is preparing a comprehensive flood-drainage project for the lower Kon–Ha Thanh river basin.
The investor is currently working with the World Bank on a proposed loan of about VND2.675 trillion (approximately US$103 million).
The project will include upgrades to river dikes, primary canals, flood-drainage channels, and overflow bridges, with the goal of providing a long-term solution to flooding while strengthening flood resilience in the lower reaches of the Ha Thanh and Kon rivers.
