Small traders in Vinh City focus on cleaning up and stabilizing business after the flood recedes.

After 5 days of having to close business due to flooding, by the morning of October 4, the water in the West market area and Vinh wholesale market had been completely drained. Small traders focused on cleaning up to stabilize business again.

Traders at Vinh market clean up and drain the remaining water to return to business. Photo: QA

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, a trader at Tay Communal House in Vinh Market, said: "In previous years, the flood water only receded after 1-2 days, but this year the water kept flooding, we had to close our business for 5 days, many orders could not be sent, so we suffered quite a lot of damage. Some items were soaked in water, now we have to clean them and hope for sunny weather to dry quickly... Inside the kiosk, there is a very unpleasant musty smell."

Some of the boxes, even though they were stacked up, were still flooded at the bottom. Photo: QA

Many vegetables and fruits were thrown away because of waterlogging and rotting. Photo: QA

Having lived with floods for the past years, this time, people proactively monitored information, placed goods high, and some small traders quickly transported goods home, so the amount of damaged goods was significantly reduced compared to previous years. However, some boxes located below were still flooded and damaged, and had to be dumped because they could not be sold anymore.

A representative of Vinh Market Management Board said: This year the water level is not as high as the flood peak in 2019, but it lasted for a long time because the water outside the Vinh River was higher than inside the market, so drainage was very difficult, people had to close their businesses for many days.

After the flood, traders took down their goods and returned to trading. Photo: QA

"The unit has assigned forces to support traders in cleaning and rearranging goods. In the long term, we hope that authorities will soon have a plan to upgrade Vinh market, especially the area behind Tay communal house, because this is an area that is often flooded during the rainy season, affecting the business life of people," said Mr. Nguyen Huu Dac - Head of Vinh market management board.

QA