After being faced with several land erosion incidents in the past, experts in Vietnam employed 3D technology to predict areas under threat along Thanh Da Canal, Binh Thanh District, in ${bigcity_Ho_Chi_Minh_City:”Ho Chi Minh City”}. It could be recalled that a number of city homes collapsed in the city during October of 2010 along Thanh Da peninsula. Though none were injured during the incident, residents were forced to evacuate.

Scientists at the HCM City Institute of Resources Geography succeeded in the new technology used and claimed positive results in predicting areas likely to be in danger. Since 2007, scientists from the institute have drilled two 40 meter-deep holes in Thanh Da in order to collect soil samples for GIS technology to construct a 3D model. Analyzing the site in three dimensions has given scientists an in-depth view of the composition of underground properties of clay, sand and water, helping define potential weakness. Being the first of its kind to be undertaken by Vietnam, the adaptation of 3D modeling of geology to prevent land erosion and provide adequate surveying for construction in Viet Nam is marked as a breakthrough especially as Thanh Da Canal is well-known as a part of the city most susceptible to land erosion. Research findings identify six points at risk of land erosion, two of which are at extreme risk. With the reliability of the technology used, more than a hundred households along the river side were already moved to safer locations earlier this year in order to prevent untoward incidents. With this preventive measure, lives and money is saved. Avoiding the possibilities of damage also prevents losing any investment that could be thrown away when structures collapse from erosions. The data collected should also help construction projects in their planning efforts in identifying areas that require deeper foundations. The same model will be soon applied in the construction of Thu Thiem new urban area in District 2.