Ministry of Construction proposes review of apartment buildings after earthquake in Myanmar

A representative of the Ministry of Construction said that the agency has asked the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to report on the incident of hundreds of apartments at the Diamond Riverside project (Vo Van Kiet Street, Ward 16, District 8) showing signs of cracks in the walls and peeling of the foundation, suspected to be caused by earthquake vibrations. At the same time, the Ministry of Construction also asked the city to review all apartment buildings in the area related to earthquake prevention.

For apartment projects that are not subject to renovation or reconstruction, according to the Ministry of Construction, the responsibility for monitoring the quality of the project belongs to the management board, residents and local authorities. If there are signs of deterioration or impacts from natural disasters, the relevant parties need to coordinate to resolve, inspect the quality, and develop plans for renovation and relocation if necessary.

Apartment buildings that have completed inspection and quality assessment, if they are subject to renovation or reconstruction, need to be included in the plan as a basis for project implementation.

The 2023 Housing Law stipulates that apartment building projects are warranted for at least 60 months from the date of completion of construction, acceptance and commissioning. The construction unit will be responsible for fixing cases of tilting, sinking, cracking, and collapsing houses.

On the afternoon of March 28, aftershocks from a 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar caused buildings in the Diamond Riverside apartment complex to shake. According to a representative of the building's management board, on the same day, the unit received many reports from residents about cracks appearing in the walls, blistering floor tiles, etc. The apartment management board reported to the local authorities and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction to coordinate inspection and develop a solution.

The recorded damage was more than 340 apartments with cracked walls, some corridors and terraces had swollen floors and peeling tiles. The cracked apartments were scattered across all 4 blocks, with light or deep cracks depending on the location.

After the incident at Diamond Riverside apartment building, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction said it had coordinated with local authorities to inspect many cases where residents reported shaking in other apartment buildings. The inspection did not find any cases of cracking like the Diamond Riverside apartment building. The Department of Construction has also requested districts, towns, and Thu Duc City to report on the situation and level of impact after the earthquake.

An earthquake measuring more than 7.0 magnitude occurred in Myanmar at 1:20 p.m. on March 28, causing tremors in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. The shaking in Ho Chi Minh City was recorded in many high-rise buildings, lasting nearly 20 seconds.