Sinkhole opens beside Palm Garden Resort in Da Nang amid nearby construction

Nguyen Thanh Sang, owner of Palm Garden Resort, has recently told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the sinkhole, more than two meters long and several meters deep, has appeared next to the Marriott Hoi An project's basement excavation site.

Cracks have rapidly formed in the resort's accommodation blocks and foundations, causing concrete walls and columns to tilt noticeably.

The resort's brick boundary wall facing the construction site has subsided, creating gaps wide enough to insert a finger, while the concrete floors in guest rooms continue to crack and widen.

The disturbance has persisted for days, coinciding with the ongoing underground excavation.

On Saturday, resort staff reassured affected guests and relocated them, Sang stated.

"Some guests staying in our rooms noticed cracks in the floors and brick walls and became really worried," said a staff member at Palm Garden Resort.

In response, the resort demanded urgent stabilization measures from Marriott Hoi An's construction team after lodging multiple complaints about noise, dust, and other disruptions with the developer and authorities.

Nguyen Mau Lam Quy, director of the Marriott Hoi An project, asserted that all construction works have been evaluated by relevant agencies and are under the oversight of a professional management firm.

"Based on preliminary assessments, considering that the bored piles were inspected by the Quang Nam [now Da Nang] Department of Construction and other relevant agencies, any subsidence is highly unlikely," said Quy.

He noted that subsidence on sandy foundations is common and not necessarily linked to nearby construction, and that they are awaiting further evaluations from the relevant authorities.

Palm Garden Resort strongly disagreed, with Sang insisting that Marriott Hoi An Resort & Spa be held accountable for the current damage.

Bui Van Dung, chairman of Hoa An Tay Ward in Da Nang, confirmed receipt of a distress letter from Palm Garden Resort.

He stated that he will personally inspect the site, together with relevant agencies, and report the findings to higher authorities, even though construction oversight falls under the jurisdiction of city-level bodies.

The Marriott Hoi An Resort & Spa project occupies 33,000 square meters along the Hoa An Tay shoreline.

It has been in development for 15 years, undergoing numerous revisions, and remains under construction, Dung added.