Landslide Buries Bus on Vietnam's Khanh Le Pass — 6 Dead, 19 Injured as Torrential Rains Continue

Landslide buries bus on Khanh Le mountain pass

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — A landslide late Sunday buried a passenger bus on the treacherous Khanh Le pass in central Vietnam, killing six people and injuring 19 others as heavy rains were forecast to continue into the week.

State media reported that earth and rock collapsed onto the vehicle while it was negotiating the winding 33-kilometer (20-mile) stretch carved into steep mountainsides. The pass — scenic and popular with tourists — is known to be vulnerable to landslides during the rainy season.

The front of the bus was crushed, trapping several passengers. Rescue workers battled for hours to reach the scene because rain-triggered slides had blocked both approaches to the pass; teams were only able to reach the vehicle after midnight, according to state reports.

The bus was carrying 32 people from Ho Chi Minh City and was en route from Da Lat in the central highlands to the coastal city of Nha Trang. Injured passengers were taken to a nearby hospital, and officials said two of the victims’ bodies remained trapped beneath debris as difficult terrain impeded recovery efforts.

Central Vietnam is being lashed by heavy rain after earlier impacts from Typhoon Kalmaegi. Forecasts through Wednesday call for 30–60 centimeters (12–24 inches) of rain in parts of central Vietnam, with some areas possibly receiving more than 85 centimeters (33 inches).

The downpours have already caused flooding and landslides in mountainous parts of Hue city, blocking the main north–south highway and isolating several villages. The former imperial capital has suffered severe floods earlier this year.

Vietnam is among the countries most exposed to flooding, with nearly half its population living in high-risk zones. Scientists warn that a warming climate is strengthening storms and increasing intense rainfall across Southeast Asia, making floods and landslides more frequent and destructive.

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