Society

The people's support system in responding to natural disasters.

Gia Huy - Hai Thuong • October 8, 2024 11:21

Rainstorms, landslides, flash floods… natural disasters are complex and unpredictable, constantly threatening the lives and property of the State and the people. In border areas, officers and soldiers of the Border Guard have promptly arrived in difficult and complex areas, working side-by-side with the authorities to respond to these situations; becoming a solid "support" for the people in disaster prevention and control.

"Where it is difficult to find soldiers."

Ms. Luong Thi Hoa's family in Muong Piet village, Thong Thu commune (Que Phong district) is one of the households whose house collapsed during the heavy rains caused by the remnants of Typhoon No. 4, which resulted in landslides at the end of September. Ms. Hoa said that her husband passed away early, she is raising young children, and living in an area prone to landslides, so she always feels worried and insecure whenever there are floods.

During the recent heavy rains caused by the storm's circulation, although their house was completely destroyed, Hoa and her children had previously received assistance from officers and soldiers of the Thong Thu Border Guard Post, local authorities, and residents in relocating themselves and their belongings before the landslide caused the house to collapse.

Mr. Quang Van Thanh's stilt house in Hiep Phong village, Thong Thu commune, was also severely damaged by dozens of cubic meters of soil and rocks that cascaded down, but fortunately, he had previously received help from soldiers in green uniforms to move his belongings to a safe location.

Lieutenant Colonel Ho Dang Thao, Deputy Political Officer of Thong Thu Border Guard Station, said that the unit has demonstrated the "four on-the-spot" principle in responding to natural disasters. Immediately upon receiving information, the station's forces were present at the affected areas in the villages of Muong Piet, Loc, Na Luom, Muong Cat, etc., coordinating with local authorities and other forces to help 17 households at risk of landslides relocate their property and livestock, dismantle structures, and move to safe locations.

Besides houses, the heavy rains also damaged 1,500 m².²Fish ponds belonging to households in Thong Thu commune suffered over 70% damage; 4.3 hectares of rice paddies were affected; 0.15 hectares of other crops were damaged; approximately 1.2 hectares of acacia trees were felled; landslides occurred on the embankment of National Highway 48 from Dong Van commune to Thong Thu commune in the Cao Ma slope and Loc village areas, causing traffic congestion and damage to some other structures.

Immediately after the floods, in addition to mobilizing forces to coordinate with local authorities to help people overcome the consequences, Thong Thu Border Guard Station allocated a portion of its funds to support several families in overcoming the difficult period and stabilizing their lives as soon as possible.

"Where there are difficulties, there are border guards," this is the recognition from Party committees, authorities, and people in border areas regarding the "for the people" spirit of the border guards in responding to natural disasters.

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The timely companionship and support of the Border Guard have helped local authorities and people in villages and hamlets feel more secure in implementing the "four on-the-spot" principle in responding to natural disasters and minimizing damage...

Mr. Luong Ngoc Huan - Chairman of the People's Committee of Thong Thu Commune

Stationed in a strategically important area frequently threatened by natural disasters, the Mon Son Border Guard Post in Mon Son commune, Con Cuong district, always closely monitors weather developments to promptly coordinate and support the local government and people in proactively responding to them. For example, during the heavy rains caused by the remnants of Typhoon No. 4, upstream water flow caused the Giang River to rise, flooding many households.

In some areas, such as the Khe Moi bridge in Met village, Luc Da commune, the water level reached about 1 meter below the bridge's surface; in the villages of Thai Son 2 and Nam Son in Mon Son commune, many households were flooded. The Mon Son Border Guard Post dispatched forces to the area to coordinate with local authorities and residents to help affected families elevate and move their belongings and household items to safe places.

In Nam Giai Commune (Que Phong District) – where flash floods, landslides, and mudslides frequently occur unexpectedly, causing serious damage to people and property. Particularly after the devastating flash flood in 2007 that claimed the lives of 13 people in Puc and Meo villages, and buried many houses and schools… natural disasters and floods have become a haunting fear for the local people.

As the unit assigned to manage two areas, Nam Giai commune and Hanh Dich commune, along with the work of disseminating information and raising people's awareness in preventing and responding to natural disasters, Hanh Dich Border Guard Station is always present and works closely with the government and people to respond to various situations...

On September 29th, when local authorities discovered a large crack, 40-50 cm long, in the Pu Meo mountain area of ​​Puc village, Nam Giai commune, directly affecting four households at the foot of the mountain, the Hanh Dich Border Guard Post dispatched officers and soldiers to coordinate with the government and other forces to promptly relocate the affected households to a safe location.

Meanwhile, in Nhon Mai border commune (Tuong Duong district), the Border Guard also serves as a pillar of support for the government and people in responding to natural disasters, especially landslides.

Typically, on October 2nd, heavy rain caused landslides in the Xa Mat village area, affecting three households. The household of Mr. Hung Van Mann was the most severely affected, with large cracks and fractures in the ground. Immediately, the Nhon Mai Border Guard Post coordinated with the local authorities and residents to assist Mr. Mann's family and other households in dismantling their belongings and moving them to another location to avoid further damage.

In addition to flooding bridges, heavy rains also caused landslides on vital transportation routes, disrupting traffic. To ensure the safety of people and vehicles, border guard posts stationed in the area have deployed forces to coordinate with local authorities to erect warning signs and station personnel to prevent people from crossing, thereby ensuring safety.

Captain Duong Ngoc Manh Tien, Deputy Political Officer of the Muong Ai Border Guard Station, said: "Route 543D from Muong Xen town to Muong Tip and Muong Ai communes (Ky Son district), especially at points in Sa Vang village, Ta Ca commune, Xop Kham and Xop Tip villages, Muong Tip commune... frequently experiences landslides causing traffic congestion."

In addition, there are several areas in the region with a very high risk of landslides if heavy rains occur. Therefore, along with preparing forces and equipment for response, the Command Board of Muong Ai Border Guard Station has advised and coordinated with local authorities to put up warning signs so that people are aware and can proactively take preventive measures.

At the same time, deploy forces to promptly identify areas at risk of landslides, especially areas with residential areas and schools, in order to organize the relocation of people and property from dangerous areas and minimize property damage for residents.

When storms, strong winds, and big waves pass through, the construction teams of soldiers in uniforms, the carpentry teams of the Border Guard, and the assault teams of the Border Guard Force, undeterred by the difficult weather and terrain, actively and proactively carry out activities to help the people and localities overcome the consequences, such as building and repairing houses, roads, and auxiliary facilities, and quickly stabilizing their lives.

According to Colonel Nguyen Cong Luc, Commander of the Nghe An Border Guard: In the work of preventing, combating, and mitigating the consequences of natural disasters and in search and rescue operations, the Border Guard force always proactively develops plans, mobilizes forces and resources, and organizes standby duty, ensuring readiness to respond to any situation.

The units consistently adhere to the principle of "prevention is key, being proactive, quick to communicate, good coordination, prioritizing saving lives and providing resources"; flexibly applying the "four on-the-spot" approach to minimize damage to the lives and property of the people and the State.

When the weather deteriorates, the Border Guard Force actively coordinates with local authorities to educate people not to be complacent or negligent; organizes the relocation of people from dangerous areas to safe zones; mobilizes forces to help people reinforce their houses, harvest crops, and has plans to protect and prevent criminals from taking advantage of storms and floods to steal or destroy people's property...

Ensuring the safety of ships and boats during the stormy season.

Along with the land border, border guard units along the coast are also prepared with "four on-the-spot" plans to respond to natural disasters. According to current statistics, Nghe An province has approximately 2,833 vessels and boats with 13,638 workers operating at sea.

During storms, in addition to maintaining their duty rosters, coastal border guard units also coordinate various measures, closely monitoring the situation of people and vessels operating at sea, especially offshore fishing vessels operating in dangerous areas. They work with the families of ship owners and captains, urging and guiding ships and boats to safe shelters to avoid the storm.

Strictly enforce the provincial People's Committee's ban on sailing, resolutely prohibiting ships and boats from going out to sea until further notice. At the same time, closely monitor weather developments through mass media, proactively review and supplement disaster response and search and rescue plans, and prepare forces and resources to coordinate with local authorities to participate in timely and effective rescue operations when needed.

As one of the localities with a large number of boats, ships, and fishermen operating in the East Sea, Mr. Bui Xuan Truc - Deputy Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Quynh Luu district - said that whenever there are natural disasters, storms, and floods, the Border Guard force has proactively contacted local authorities to disseminate information to the people, informing boat owners and fishermen about the weather situation so that they can escape from dangerous areas. When the ships return to port, Border Guard officers and soldiers also coordinate to arrange the boats and ships to ensure safety and prevent fires and explosions.

For coastal areas, in addition to disseminating information and encouraging people to bring their boats and ships ashore to safely avoid storms, border guard units are also strengthening inspection and control forces at river and estuary mouths to prevent people and vehicles from operating during storms; arranging mooring areas for boats and ships to take shelter from storms; and preparing personnel and equipment to carry out rescue and relief missions when situations arise.

On May 3rd, the Quynh Phuong Border Guard Station received a report that fishing vessel NA 4611 TS, captained by Hoang Duc Dong (born 1990), residing in Tan Tien Hamlet, Quynh Phuong Ward (Hoang Mai Town), along with two crew members, Hoang Duc Thi and Truong Van Hung (born 1985), both residing in Quynh Phuong Ward (Hoang Mai Town), were fishing for squid at coordinates 19°09'N - 105°47" E when they encountered a whirlwind, causing the vessel to capsize and sink. Hoang Duc Thi swam out to sea and was rescued by a small boat, while Hoang Duc Dong and Truong Van Hung went missing.

Upon receiving the report, the Quynh Phuong Border Guard Station notified neighboring border guard units and vessels operating near the accident site. Simultaneously, they coordinated with local authorities and the families to deploy vessels for the search. After two days, rescue forces found two victims trapped inside the sunken fishing vessel.

It can be said that, with their proactive spirit, high determination, and timely presence in emergency situations, the soldiers in green uniforms have become a reliable "pillar of support" for the government and people in responding to natural disasters.