Reporting from the heart of the flood zone and the untold stories of journalists.

Facing danger

On the evening of June 18th, attending the "Fire of the Pen" exchange program organized by the Provincial Journalists Association and the Provincial Radio and Television Station, I heard many valuable insights from my colleagues. In particular, I was impressed by the documentary footage of a reporting trip to the flash flood area in Nam Giai commune, Que Phong district in 2007. At that time, reporter Tran Duy Ngoan was swept away by the floodwaters, his camera still hanging around his neck, but he was fortunately rescued by his colleagues and the armed forces accompanying him. These valuable documents vividly demonstrate the dedication of journalists at that time. Also related to reporting on the Nam Giai flash flood, I heard journalist Cong Sang, former Head of the Economic Reporter Department of Nghe An Newspaper, recount his journey on foot with colleagues from Chau Kim commune to Nam Giai commune, demonstrating a spirit of not being afraid of hardship or danger...

Those images reminded me of the times I and my colleagues went into the heart of the flood zone. These included reporting from the flash flood area in Ky Son in October 2022, and the flood-stricken area of ​​Luong Minh, Tuong Duong district in October 2024... Through participating in those "battles," I witnessed the dangers that threatened the lives of those involved.

Those "involved" are not only journalists, but also local government leaders, members of the armed forces involved in rescue operations, and citizens helping each other in times of hardship...

In October 2024, I worked with reporter Thanh Phuc at the flood epicenter in Luong Minh commune, Tuong Duong district. The flash flood swept through during the night, and it continued to rain the next day. Roads and mountain slopes along the only access route to Luong Minh commune continued to collapse due to landslides. During our work, we learned that a delegation of officials from the Tuong Duong District People's Committee had gone to Luong Minh commune that very night, right after the flash flood had passed. At that time, it was still raining, and the only access road to Luong Minh commune was still collapsing due to landslides. Unfortunately, Mr. Nguyen Huu Hien, Vice Chairman of the Tuong Duong District People's Committee, unfortunately stepped into a landslide area near the riverbank while en route.

“When I realized the mud under my feet was sinking, I quickly jumped to the side of the road, just as the entire section of land beneath me collapsed into the fast-flowing river. I almost…,” Mr. Nguyen Huu Hien recounted. Later, during our work trips to Tuong Duong district, we had the opportunity to ask Mr. Nguyen Huu Hien to share his “secret” about that life-saving jump, to better understand and empathize with the difficulties and hardships faced by grassroots officials, especially in remote areas.

During my reporting trip to the flood-stricken area of ​​Luong Minh, I, along with reporter Thanh Phuc, completed our mission with 10 news articles updated over two days, partly thanks to the assistance of local government officials and the Military Command of Tuong Duong District. They "escorted" us many times along the more than 20km road, the only access route from National Highway 7 to Luong Minh commune. I especially remember the moments sitting in the car crossing the suspension bridge. The car swayed with the rhythm of the bridge, while below was the murky, swirling floodwater. Even inside the car, we had to wear life jackets and lower the windows to be ready to respond to any anticipated situations…

It can be said that in flash floods and natural disasters, the armed forces always play a core role in supporting and mitigating the consequences. For example, in October 2022, a flash flood occurred in Ky Son district. This devastating flood was considered the most horrific in the history of Ky Son district up to that point. Immediately after the flood, armed forces including police, military, and border guards from the provincial to the district level were mobilized and reinforced in Ky Son to support the people. Among the crowds flocking to Muong Xen town at that time, besides journalists like us, the majority were soldiers in uniform.

The forces were assigned to specific areas, wielding hoes and shovels, their feet submerged in mud, working tirelessly day and night, rain or shine, to clear roads, transport essential supplies, and help the people clean up their homes. At that time, our group of four stayed in the heart of the flooded area of ​​Ky Son for five days, witnessing the armed forces and government officials struggling with the debris. There were hurried meals, snatched moments of sleep, and countless hours of sweat; many even bled from falling rocks, tripping, or being cut by debris…

About a month later, we learned that many officials from Ky Son district, and many soldiers from the rescue forces involved in the Ky Son flood that year, had fallen ill. Some had to be hospitalized due to prolonged exposure to rain and sun, and strenuous labor. In times of hardship, they disregarded their own health and safety to serve their fellow citizens. These silent efforts and contributions are not always understood by everyone.

Teamwork skills

For our team of reporters, the five days of reporting in the flood-stricken area of ​​Ky Son left many unforgettable impressions. In particular, we were grateful for the help and support from the district leaders, the armed forces, and the Nghe An Newspaper agency and its leaders. They promptly provided information and directly assisted us in our fieldwork, navigating dangerous roads, and encouraged us to capture quick, vivid, and safe photos and videos.

In addition to the support of local facilities, working in a context that is both dangerous and challenging in terms of weather conditions, terrain, equipment, and communication, in order to obtain timely and accurate images of the damage and the practical rescue and relief efforts of the government and people, requires reporters to have the skills to predict and respond to practical situations and a high level of teamwork.

In October 2022, flash floods struck Ky Son district, killing one person and severely damaging over 50 houses. Many government offices and infrastructure in Ky Son were buried under mud and rocks. Early that morning, Nghe An Newspaper dispatched a team of four reporters from Vinh City to Ky Son district. With only an hour to prepare our equipment and travel over 230 km, our team replenished our supplies and assigned specific tasks to each person. Upon arrival, amidst the chaotic scene of mud and rocks and the disorderly people, we told ourselves not to panic and to adhere to the pre-planned strategy. We divided into groups and independently worked to complete our content on time and according to schedule to produce content for both the online and print editions.

In addition to the teams of reporters working directly on-site, the newsroom also arranged a support team to help the "field team" process images. Even in urgent situations, we only took photos and videos with our phones and sent them directly via Zalo and Facebook groups. We dictated the content over the phone so the "rear team" could type and compile it into news articles. Thanks to teamwork, during our four days of reporting in the flooded area of ​​Ky Son, we produced over 30 news articles, successfully completing our mission and ensuring safety.