San Salvador, El Salvador – A substantial landslide has struck the construction site of a major highway expansion project in El Salvador, raising serious concerns about safety protocols and oversight. The project, being undertaken by South Korean construction giant Dongbu Construction, has been plagued by safety incidents, including a fatal accident last year.

The latest incident occurred on Saturday, April 26th, at the Los Chorros highway bridge construction site, a critical artery connecting the capital city of San Salvador and the western regions of the country. According to a statement released by El Salvador's Ministry of Public Works (Ministerio de Obras Públicas, MOP), a significant volume of earth and debris slid down from an adjacent mountain during excavation work.

The landslide forced the complete closure of the vital highway over the weekend, causing considerable disruption to transportation and commerce. While the MOP has since announced the implementation of safety measures and the reopening of the road to normal traffic, the incident has amplified existing anxieties among local residents and authorities.

Eyewitness accounts and social media posts from the months leading up to the landslide reveal that communities near the construction zone had voiced apprehension about potential slope instability, particularly as the anticipated rainy season approached. These warnings appear to have gone unheeded, culminating in the recent event.

This landslide is not an isolated occurrence at the Los Chorros project. In December 2024, a tragic structural collapse resulted in the deaths of three Salvadoran workers. Separately, another incident saw four individuals trapped within fallen structures before they were successfully rescued. These previous accidents have already cast a shadow over the ambitious infrastructure endeavor.

Local media outlets have been critical of the safety record at the site and the oversight mechanisms in place. Following the series of mishaps, the MOP announced in January 2025 the engagement of a Spanish firm to bolster supervision of the project. However, reports indicate that the initial supervisory responsibilities were assigned to Dohwa Engineering, a South Korean company. The exact roles and responsibilities of both supervisory entities in relation to the recent landslide are currently under scrutiny as local authorities initiate a thorough investigation into the cause of the incident.

Dongbu Construction secured the contract for the Los Chorros highway expansion in 2023. The project entails widening a 14.64-kilometer stretch of the existing Los Chorros road from four to eight lanes and the construction of five new bridges. The total investment in this crucial infrastructure development is approximately $372 million, equivalent to around 480 billion South Korean won.

The Los Chorros expansion holds immense significance for El Salvador's infrastructure development plans. With a budget representing a substantial 15% of the nation's total public investment of $2.48 billion for the current year, the project is the single largest public works undertaking in the country. Its successful and safe completion is therefore paramount for El Salvador's economic growth and connectivity.

The recurring safety failures at the Dongbu Construction site have triggered widespread concern among the Salvadoran populace and have prompted calls for a rigorous review of construction practices and safety enforcement on major infrastructure projects. The ongoing investigation into the landslide will likely focus on the adequacy of risk assessments, excavation procedures, and the effectiveness of the supervisory oversight provided. The findings of this investigation will be crucial in determining accountability and implementing measures to prevent future incidents on this vital project and others across El Salvador. The international construction community will also be watching closely, given the scale and importance of the Los Chorros highway expansion.

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