Nguyen Van Anh, the director of Anh Huong Construction and Trade Company, has been arrested as part of an investigation into the collapse of a seawall after Storm Yagi. The 36-year-old resident of Hai Phong is the seventh individual to be charged in this case, which was initiated by the Lao Cai Provincial Police on August 27, 2024, for serious violations of construction regulations under Article 298 of the Penal Code.

Initial investigations revealed that Van Anh committed several infractions during the bidding and construction processes for a stone railing project. He is accused of using falsified qualification documents to participate in the bidding and to secure the construction contract. Additionally, he allegedly signed off on inaccurate construction logs, quality management records, and acceptance reports.

Van Anh failed to create a plan for conducting tests and implementing quality control measures for materials and equipment used in the project. Furthermore, he neglected to inform the investor of other discrepancies in the technical-economic reports.

This arrest is a significant development as police expand their investigation into the case concerning the infrastructure damage following the severe Storm Yagi in December 2024. Six other individuals had already been charged, including Dao Minh Khanh, the former head of the urban management department of Lao Cai city, and Nguyen Thu Ha, an official from the Cam Duong ward, both accused of negligence leading to serious consequences.

Other individuals involved include Nguyen Duc Giang, director of Uy Long Construction Investment Company, and Pham Khac Phuong, former deputy head of the old Lao Cai city investment project management board. They, along with several others, are being investigated for serious violations of construction regulations.

Following Storm Yagi, residents reported unusual deterioration of stone railings at two major construction sites in Lao Cai city. These sites included the stone railing along the Hong River on An Duong Vuong Street and a project aimed at preventing riverbank erosion. Investigations revealed that many components were constructed improperly, with key elements only loosely connected using adhesive materials instead of ensuring structural integrity as per design specifications. Additionally, several stone columns and barriers showed signs of erosion and did not meet quality standards.

The police have stated that the construction violations have resulted in damages exceeding 13 billion VND to the state.