Warning of drowning due to fishing and firewood collection during flood season in Nghe An

Children of Khanh Thanh commune risk their lives to cast nets in deep water. Photo: Van Truong

Fishing in flood season, danger lurks

Khanh Thanh commune area,Yen ThanhIn the past few days, heavy rains have caused floodwaters to pour in from everywhere, causing massive flooding. Mixed in with the raging floodwaters are a lot of shrimps and fishes, so many people have taken the opportunity to go out to the fields to catch them.

Arriving at the Vu Giang River, we saw a group of people casting nets. Fishing gear was quite simple, just a net of several dozen meters. There were deep spots where you had to swim to pull the net, without protective gear or life buoys, which was very dangerous.

Not to mention, in this field, people also use many fragile corrugated iron boats to go to the flood water to cast nets and pull nets. Witnessing the scene of people disregarding the danger, fishing in the flood season next to the raging water, many people are worried about them.

People in Khanh Thanh commune, Yen Thanh use fragile corrugated iron boats to cast nets on the Vu Giang river. Photo: Van Truong

However, when asked, people said: During the flood season, there are more fish and shrimp than usual, so they have to take advantage of fishing to improve their family meals and earn extra income. Although they know that fishing during the flood season is dangerous, they still want to catch a lot of fish, and after catching a lot, they get used to it.

Yen Thanh district also has many drainage systems, these days people from some localities flock to the Dinh River in Yen Thanh town to drag nets and catch fish. The Dinh River water overflows the dike, people compete to stand at the mouth of the spillway to drag nets, some farmers even risk their lives wading into the middle of the spillway to catch fish, dangerous.drowningalways lurking.

People electrocute fish at night during flood season in Quynh Luu. Photo: Van Truong

Mr. Le Van Hong - Head of the Yen Thanh District Agriculture Department said: Yen Thanh area has hundreds of dams, so when there is heavy rain, water from upstream flows down, causing the water level of rivers and fields to rise very quickly. To limit possible drowning accidents, the district has directed communes to mobilize and advise people to be careful,do not go fishing in rivers and streams, collecting firewood during the flood season. However, it is still very difficult to monitor, there are still many people fishing, during the flood season, posing a potential risk to life and safety.

People without life jackets row boats and cast nets to catch fish on the Con River, Tan Ky. Photo: Van Truong.

Need to raise awareness of prevention

In Nghe An province, in the past few days, there have been many drowning cases due to fishing during the flood season. For example, on September 30, taking advantage of the rising water, Le Van Phap (35 years old, residing in Quynh Hong commune, Quynh Luu district) went fishing but unfortunately, he got into deep water and drowned. While assisting people in some flooded communes in Quynh Luu district, the provincial police force heard people shouting that someone was drowning and promptly rescued them.

Previously on September 29, when the floodwaters rose, two people living in My Son hamlet, Thanh Yen commune, Thanh Chuong district rowed a boat to the rice fields in Trung Dong block, Nam Dan town, and the boat capsized. As a result, one person drowned and died.

Some people in Ky Son commune, Tan Ky risk their lives swimming in deep water to catch fish. Photo: Van Truong

At this time, some people in Thanh An and Thanh Chi communes (Thanh Chuong) often go to Lam river to collect firewood and timber. They often use small boats, woven from bamboo, to row out to the middle of the river, steering along the fast-flowing water while collecting firewood, which is very dangerous.

Mr. Tran Phi Hung - Head of the Department of Agriculture of Thanh Chuong district said: Thanh Chuong district is propagating and mobilizing people not to participate in fishing, collecting firewood along both sides of rivers, streams, dams... to prevent drowning accidents. However, the above situation still occurs, only during the flood season in September 2022 there were 2 casesdied while fishingflood season

After the flood, the water level on Lam River rose, carrying wood and firewood from upstream to downstream. From Ky Son to the plain districts along Lam River such as Do Luong, Nam Dan, Thanh Chuong... many people rushed to collect firewood despite the possible danger. Nghe An had 7 people die in the flood after the circulation of storm No. 4, mainly due to fishing and catching crickets in dangerous areas, crossing the spillway area with fast flowing water.

Collecting firewood on Lam River through Thanh Chuong district. Photo: Huy Thu

A representative of the Department of Agriculture of Nam Dan district added: In the face of a number of drowning incidents due to fishing in the area, Nam Dan district has propagated and advised people in flooded areas not to fish or collect firewood. Some deep-water areas in Bau Non, Nam Thanh commune, Ba Khe, Nam Loc commune... have warning signs and mobilized forces to be on duty to remind people not to fish.

In Con Cuong, although the authorities and government have intervened, the number of people collecting firewood, fishing, and traveling across rivers and streams when the floodwaters are high has not decreased. During the rainy and flood days, when danger lurks, local authorities need to propagate and even take drastic measures to protect people's lives.

Despite the danger from the flood, some people still catch fish and collect firewood. Photo: Ba Hau

Mr. Vi Van Truong - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Mon Son Commune, Con Cuong said: In the past few days, our commune has had heavy rains and a lot of water flowing from upstream. However, some households have risked their lives to fish during the rainy season. In this situation, we have communicated to each household and at the same time coordinated with the commune police to regularly inspect, control, arrest and confiscate fishing equipment of those who do not comply.

To minimize the damage caused by floods, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Con Cuong district has issued a telegram directing departments and commune authorities to proactively develop plans to prevent floods. Warnings and good control of people passing through underground overflow areas and flooded roads, and specific measures to ensure people's safety. However, each person needs to raise awareness, awareness and proactively respond to minimize damage.

Currently, the rain has basically decreased but the water level is still slow, so the flood situation will continue in the coming days.

The Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control of Nghe An province requires localities to guide people on measures to respond to floods, paying attention to measures to ensure safety of people and property, avoiding subjectively going through deep flooded culverts, fast-flowing water, fishing, and collecting firewood on the river. Avoid unfortunate human accidents like some cases that have occurred in the recent past./.

Van Truong