Residents of Tan Ky commune are urgently working to mitigate the aftermath of the historic flood.
The impact of Typhoon No. 10 caused historic flooding on the Con River, leaving thousands of households in unprecedentedly deep water. As the water receded, people busied themselves cleaning up and repairing the damage to quickly restore their lives and production.
Urgent cleaning and environmental sanitation.
In many low-lying areas along the Con River, particularly in Tan Ky commune, after the floodwaters receded, thick layers of mud covered yards, village roads, and even clung to the walls of people's houses.
In each house, people gathered to clean up, wash away the mud, put back the tables and chairs, rearrange the beds and wardrobes, and tidy up damaged household items.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tuan, a resident of Dien Nam hamlet, shared: "My family has lived here since before 1980, and we've never witnessed the Con River rising so quickly and so high. In just one night on October 1st, the floodwaters rose nearly 2 meters into our house. We had to evacuate urgently, and almost all our belongings are now ruined. But never mind, as long as we're alive, we still have possessions. Now we have to focus on repairing the damage to stabilize our lives. For now, we'll use the water to clean the house, wash all our belongings, and take advantage of the sunny weather to dry the rice."
At Dien Nam Kindergarten, a large crowd of people were gathered using a car wash machine to clean the mud off tables, chairs, computers, televisions, and other school supplies. Many of these items had to be discarded because they were damaged beyond repair.
The school principal, Ms. Nguyen Thi Dung, said: "Never before has the floodwater completely submerged the first floor like this one. Thick mud covered the classrooms, desks and chairs were askew, and books were soaked. From the afternoon of October 2nd, when the floodwater receded, all the equipment in the two kindergarten classrooms, including televisions, computers, and printers, was completely damaged. The estimated damage is about 200 million VND. With the support of local officials and the Tan Ky High School Youth Union, who directly assisted in cleaning up and repairing, the cleanup was basically completed by the end of October 3rd, but we will only be ready to welcome students back at the beginning of next week."
Immediately after the floodwaters receded, local authorities mobilized militia forces, youth union members, police, and soldiers to go down to the villages and hamlets to help people clear mud and unclog drains.
Environmental sanitation and disease prevention after the floods have been given special attention. Local authorities have distributed chemicals and, together with the people, used lime powder to disinfect livestock pens and water wells. The health sector has intensified guidance for people on water treatment, food preservation, and prevention of cholera, dengue fever, and gastrointestinal diseases.
Humanity in times of hardship
In times of hardship, the spirit of mutual support and solidarity was strongly demonstrated. Even as floodwaters rose, many charitable groups used motorboats to reach deeply submerged households to provide relief. Following this, convoys of vehicles carrying instant noodles, drinking water, and clothing from neighboring areas, organized by various organizations, headed towards the flooded Tan Ky commune. Local residents shared every packet of noodles and bottle of water, helping each other overcome the consequences of the disaster.
According to statistics from the Tan Ky Commune Fatherland Front Committee, this historic flood affected 2,102 households, with nearly 10,000 people from 20 out of 25 hamlets having to be urgently evacuated and relocated. As of the morning of October 4th,
The Tan Ky Commune Fatherland Front Committee has received relief supplies from four organizations outside the province, along with many individuals and organizations inside and outside the district, totaling over 423 million VND, mainly instant noodles, drinking water, and other food items. In addition, the commune has allocated emergency relief funds to purchase thousands of boxes of instant noodles and drinking water to promptly support the local people.
Currently, the water level in the Con River is receding, however, as of the morning of October 4th, over 100 households in Tan Ky commune are still flooded. Villages are continuing to assess damage to crops, livestock, and other belongings.
Residents of Tan Ky commune are hoping for a volunteer team of electricians to help repair electrical equipment damaged by flooding. After this flood, thousands of electrical devices will be submerged and damaged, requiring immediate repair.
