JAKARTA - The landslide buried passenger buses on a dangerous mountain route in Vietnam, killing six people and injuring 19 others.
Land and rocks collapsed on the bus on Sunday night while passing through the Khanh Le route in the central highlands, reports state media. The 33-kilometer (20-mile) winding road that is mapped on a steep mountain slope is beautiful and popular among tourists, but prone to landslides in the rainy season.
Reported by ABC News, Monday, November 17, the landslide destroyed the front of the bus, trapping many passengers.
Rescue teams struggled for hours to reach the scene as heavy rains also caused landslides on both sides of the mountain route, cutting off access.
Rescue teams can only reach the location of the buried bus after midnight, state media said.
The bus took 32 people from Vietnam's financial capital, Ho Chi Minh City, and was on their way from Doalat in the central highlands of Vietnam to the coastal city of Nha Trang.
The injured passengers were taken to a nearby hospital. State media said the two bodies were still trapped under the rubble as dangerous terrain blocked work.
Heavy rains flushed central Vietnam, which was previously hit by Typhoon Kalmaegi. Rainfall as of Wednesday is estimated to reach 30 60 centimeters (1224 inches) in several areas of central Vietnam, with several areas likely exceeding 85 centimeters (33 inches).
Heavy rains caused floods and landslides in the mountainous area of Hue City on Sunday, blocking the main highway that stretches from north Vietnam to south and cutting off access to several villages. The former capital of the empire has experienced historic flooding this year.
Vietnam is one of the most flood-prone countries in the world, with nearly half of its population living in high-risk areas.
Scientists warn climate warming increases the intensity of storms and rainfall across Southeast Asia, making floods and landslides even more destructive and frequent.
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