MONDULKIRI: Mondulkiri authorities are clearing space to build a bypass on the stretch of National Road 76A that was wiped out by a landslide yesterday in the Oreang District.

On August 1, weeks of heavy rain culminated in a landslide that caused about ten meters of the road to collapse downhill. According to Mondulkiri Department of Public Works and Transport Director Ros Kimthun, the governor ordered a halt to traffic on the road at around 6pm, 30 minutes before the collapse, after receiving reports of alarming cracks in the road. He added that experts are on the scene, using machinery to clear the way for a temporary bypass.

Oreang Governor Seak Mony said that initial studies showed that the landslide may have been caused by continuous rain over several days, which caused the soil on Phnom Chrey to become muddy before ultimately collapsing.

Following the incident, relevant specialized teams immediately descended on the scene to check the damage and find a way to repair the road. They ruled that currently, there is no immediate danger to local residents.

National Road 76A connects Kratie Province to Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri Provinces and is a main thoroughfare for travellers from Phnom Penh. The landslide caused the collapse of the road between the 91 and 99km mark in the Oreang District’s Sen Monorom Commune. All motor vehicle traffic is currently suspended until further notice.