Save the people – An order from the heart

Lieutenant General Tran Vo Dung, Political CommissarMilitary Region 4Major General Ha Tho Binh, Deputy Commander - Chief of Staff of the Military Region, directly went to flooded areas to grasp the situation and direct the forces.save peopleThousands of officers and soldiers from units stationed in Nghe An province immediately set out to evacuate people and property from flooded areas.

Soldiers from the Hung Nguyen District Military Command help people in Chau Nhan commune move their belongings out of the flooded area. Photo by Phung Ngoc Thang

Immediately, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Huong, 30 officers and staff of Hung Nguyen Military Command and the rescue team set out to save the people. In the pouring rain, the light was not enough to see, but the officers and staff of the unit were still undaunted.

Upon arriving at the scene, they quickly took the elderly and children onto boats to evacuate to schools and the commune People's Committee. A group went to each house to transport and lift assets and belongings to dry areas. And so, from the morning of October 29 to the evening of October 30, officers and staff of the Hung Nguyen District Military Command evacuated and relocated more than 500 households to safety.

Officers and soldiers of the 873rd Water Transport Brigade rescue people from Ben Thuy ward, Vinh city from flooded areas. Photo: Phung Ngoc Thang

For two days, many comrades only ate rice balls or dry rations while wading in the floodwaters to evacuate people and move their belongings. Many comrades' families were in flooded areas but they were still resilient with their comrades to help the people. A typical example is Lieutenant Nguyen Van Thang, an Ordnance Officer of Chau Nhan commune, whose house was also heavily flooded, but for the past two days he has been driving the ST660 boat to transport hundreds of people out of the danger zone.

General Tran Vo Dung - Political Commissar of Military Region 4 and the working delegation of Military Region 4 visited and presented 3 tons of rice to people affected by floods in Hanh Lam and Thanh My communes of Thanh Chuong district. Photo by Thanh Trung (Thanh Chuong Radio Station)

According to Lieutenant Colonel Tran Vo Viet, Commander of Thanh Chuong Military Command, the historic flood in the locality has caused heavy losses in human lives and property. In the past two days, two people were swept away by floodwaters, two were injured, and many roads and bridges were seriously eroded. The locality has organized the evacuation of nearly 2,000 households from dangerous areas.

Political Commissar of Military Region 4 and the working delegation inspected the flood situation in Thanh Xuan commune. Photo: Thanh Trung (Thanh Chuong Radio Station)

Despite the murky water and unfamiliarity with the area, the order to “save the people” was always demonstrated by the officers and soldiers with determination and action towards the people. Under the pouring rain, wearing life jackets with the words “Military Region 4”, the officers and soldiers of the unit immersed themselves in the water, swam into each house to carry people onto boats to evacuate to safety.

Leaders of the Provincial Military Command visited, encouraged and gave relief goods to the people of Chau Nhan commune. Photo: Trong Kien

Officers and soldiers quickly rescued people in flooded areas of Chau Nhan commune (Hung Nguyen). Photo: Thanh Tam (Hung Nguyen Radio)

The flood from October 29 to 30 caused heavy damage to the people. According to statistics, 94 communes in 12 districts, towns and cities were flooded. Nghe An Military Command mobilized nearly 3,000 officers and soldiers of the regular army and militia, along with nearly 20 vehicles of various types, 22 boats to evacuate 2,134 households with 8,239 people out of the danger zone. At the same time, a number of officers and soldiers were assigned to coordinate with the police force to guard landslide and flood areas to prevent people from passing through.

Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Dinh Luan, Deputy Chief of Staff of Nghe An Military Command

During the process of participating in helping the People, officers and soldiers of the Military Region's armed forces have promoted their initiative, creativity, flexibility, regardless of danger and hardship, and performed their tasks with the highest spirit and responsibility towards their compatriots.

Leaders of the Provincial Military Command and the Chairman of Hung Nguyen District inspected the flood situation in Chau Nhan Commune (Hung Nguyen). Photo: Thanh Tam (Hung Nguyen Radio)