Huong Khe (Ha Tinh) is an area that is often flooded. To protect their property, people here build floating houses and use nylon sheets to tie the mouths of wells.
During the recent floods, thousands of houses and wells in Huong Khe district were submerged in floodwater. After the floodwaters receded, people in the flooded areas still had to use red well water for cooking and daily activities.
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| In recent days, people have covered wells in flooded areas to prevent dirty water from overflowing. Photo: N. Duyen |
For people in some areas who have lived with floods for generations, many people have good experience, which is to cover the mouth of the water well with a plastic sheet and tie it tightly with a rubber band to prevent water from entering the well. After the water recedes, people only need to remove the mouth of the well and they will still have clean water to use.
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| Floodwaters recede, but protected wells still have clear water. Photo: N. Duyen |
Mr. Tuan, residing in Ha Linh commune (Huong Khe district), said: "My house is close to the riverbank, so just a small flood can flood my family's well. When I heard that a tropical depression had made landfall, I used a nylon sheet to cover the mouth of the well, so after the water receded, I just had to open the well and I would have water to use."
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| In the flooded area, Mr. Tuan's family in Ha Linh commune still has clean water to use. Photo: N. Duyen |
| "Our commune has to deal with several floods every year, so people have been proactive in prevention work. During the rainy season, households with buffaloes, cows, and machinery leave them in the highlands. The rest have floating rafts. Those with flood-proof houses use floating houses for their livestock and poultry to stay. Those without flood-proof houses build floating houses for people and animals to stay. Because of this proactiveness, every year during the rainy season, there are no human casualties."Mr. Nguyen Hong Quan - Party Secretary of Phuong My commune (Huong Khe district). |
In addition, local people have built floating houses to store belongings and provide shelter for people and livestock when flood waters rise.
The raft house is designed with 4 or more barrels depending on the size of the raft. These barrels are fixed at the 4 corners with wood or steel bars. Then people lay wood or bamboo on top to make the floor and roof structure. When the water rises, the barrels become buoys to lift the entire raft house on the water surface.
Ms. Nga (Hoa Hai) said: "Hearing on the radio that there would be a low pressure, my family built a houseboat. If the water level rises, everyone will take shelter there. The house will float up to where the water level rises. My house is only installed at the beginning of the rainy season and then dismantled after the rainy season, which is very convenient. Some families use a sturdy welded iron frame and leave it in the corner of the garden until the flood level rises."
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| People prepare rafts for use during flood season. Photo: N. Duyen |
Mr. Ngo Xuan Tu, Trung Thuong hamlet, Phuong My commune said: "In the past, when the water level rose during heavy rains, people climbed onto the cupboards and roofs. But in recent years, the water level has risen above the roofs, so people have been creative in using barrels as floating rafts to shelter from the flood. Every house in our area has a floating raft like that."
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| The completed houseboats. Photo: N. Duyen |
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| Livestock and poultry are brought to the floating house for shelter... Photo: N.Duyen |
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| ...or take it to higher areas to send. Photo: N. Duyen |
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| People prepare clean water tanks to use during flood days. Photo: N. Duyen |
According to Danviet
