The flood arrived amidst the sound of Mid-Autumn Festival drums.

(Baonghean) - The communes of Yen Tinh and Chau Hoi, which suffered from natural disasters during the recent heavy rains, are all located in disadvantaged areas. These areas, often referred to as "Commune 135," are primarily inhabited by the Thai ethnic group, whose lives depend on the mountains and forests. Bamboo shoots, reeds, and a small amount of rice paddies are the main sources of livelihood for the people.

"The tranquil town is completely devastated. This flood is unprecedentedly fierce!" - The ringing of my phone pulled me out of bed at 5:30 a.m. on September 14th.

My reporter friend's startled voice jolted me awake. So, Yen Tinh, the area I had just left after a reporting trip a few days ago, had been hit by flash floods again.

Flash floods caused serious damage at Yen Tinh Secondary School in the early morning of September 14, 2016.

The flood came suddenly in the middle of the night, like a natural disaster. The classroom was covered in mud, and students' belongings and equipment were crushed and destroyed by the raging flood. The scene at Yen Tinh commune's secondary school was a veritable pile of rubble...

The sudden flash flood caught the people of Yen Tinh off guard; many could only flee to safety, watching helplessly as their homes and belongings were swept away. Most villages in the area suffered damage. The Yen Tinh Secondary and Primary schools, built near the stream, had most of their equipment and supplies swept away. Fortunately, hundreds of children residing and studying in the boarding school were unharmed.

Large areas of rice fields were severely flooded during the recent floods. Photo: Ngo Phan

In recent days, the entire mountainous district of Con Cuong has been hit by torrential rain. Authorities later reported a measured rainfall of 143mm. For the elderly women of Trung Dinh village (Chi Khe, Con Cuong), the measured rainfall figure was not as frightening as the news that a large portion of their rice crop, ready for harvest, was buried under mud in an instant.

She sat silently by the dinner table, gazing at the granary and counting on her fingers. There were still seven or eight months until the next rice harvest. This season was a total loss. The rice in the granary, along with the remaining harvestable rice, would only last until the end of the year. While waiting for the next harvest, her husband and children would have to worry about buying rice again. Their situation was still better than many families who had little land and lost everything due to the floods.

Residents of Cap Chang village (Yen Tinh - Tuong Duong) are moving their belongings to escape the flood.

Local authorities were quick to call residents to report the damage to higher levels. In Con Cuong district, the damage amounted to over 500 hectares of rice and crops, one house collapsed, and more than a thousand chickens and ducks swept away. Whether or not they would receive assistance, or how quickly, the people felt comforted by the immediate concern from the authorities, even if it was just a simple call to the village community center to report the damage.

In the Northwest, Mr. Lu Van Phong from Ke Tan village, Chau Hoi commune (Quy Chau district), said in a trembling voice: "The flood is terrifying, sir. In previous years, there were flash floods, but they only submerged the rice fields. This year, it swept away the entire rice paddies. I don't know where we'll plant rice now." He then explained that the road from the center of Chau Hoi commune to Ke Tan village, a route that is normally difficult to navigate even on dry days, is now a challenge for the villagers who used to travel along the mountain pass; now, even those who usually travel by motorbike have to abandon their vehicles and take a shortcut through the hills to reach the commune center when needed.

Children in Chau Hoi dry their books and notebooks after the flood.

The communes of Yen Tinh and Chau Hoi – areas severely affected by the recent heavy rains – are all located in disadvantaged areas. These areas, often referred to as "Commune 135," are primarily inhabited by the Thai ethnic group, whose livelihoods depend on the forests and mountains. Bamboo shoots, reeds, and a small amount of rice paddies are the main sources of income for the people.

In many of the communes I visited, the scene was one of people and authorities rushing to combat the floods. In Yen Khe commune, along the only road leading to Muong Qua (Mon Son, Luc Da), the militia were digging ditches to clear the waterways and prevent floodwaters from damaging the road. At critical points with streams, militia were stationed to prevent people from risking their lives crossing the streams.

September 14th, just before the Mid-Autumn Festival, was a busy day for all levels of government and people in the flood-stricken areas of the Mekong Delta. Information about the damage was constantly updated. Villagers returned home after a day of trying to save their rice crops with worried expressions on their faces.

Flash floods caused serious damage at Yen Tinh Secondary School in the early morning of September 14, 2016.

That evening, the moon shone brightly, signaling a full moon day with favorable weather. The next morning, on the exact day of the full moon, I unexpectedly encountered a young police officer from Tuong Duong District Police, Luong Van Mau, dressed in his uniform, preparing to go help with flood relief efforts. We only had time for a brief greeting before Mau and his colleagues quickly got into their vehicle: "I'm heading to the flood-affected area, sir." Yet, by evening, Mau was back at the district center, his face blackened, looking exhausted but still smiling cheerfully: "Today was a tiring day, but I helped the villagers quite a bit."

I know that during the recent flash floods, the authorities and the police and military forces in Tuong Duong district made great efforts to quickly overcome the consequences of the natural disaster, stabilize people's lives, and allow students to return to school as soon as possible.

Police in Tuong Duong district are helping people in Yen Tinh overcome the consequences of flash floods.

While outside, the sounds of Mid-Autumn Festival drums echoed through the alleys of the highland town, Luong Van Mau sat silently for a moment before continuing: "Poor students. I wonder when school will return to normal." Perhaps after his anger and wicked prank, "heaven" granted a clear night of the full moon. The autumn moon shone calmly, and the children cheered and carried their lanterns.

Amidst the peaceful joy of the children in the highland town, I suddenly thought of the villages that had just been devastated by floods. I hoped that, in the flood-stricken areas of Yen Tinh and Chau Hoi, the children would also have a Mid-Autumn Festival night after all the devastation and destruction. Children in flood-affected areas need to have stable living and learning conditions as soon as possible.

Vi Phuong