Anxiety over the rainy season and floods in Cao Vều
With the rainy season approaching, the border region of Cao Vều (Anh Sơn district) is once again filled with anxiety... Recently, two people in this area tragically drowned.
Risk of floods during the rainy season
Cao Vều (also known as Vều village) is the collective name for four villages: Vều 1, Vều 2, Vều 3, and Vều 4, located in the remote, border area of Phúc Sơn commune, Anh Sơn district. Cao Vều currently has 370 households with 1,337 inhabitants, the vast majority of whom are ethnic Thai people. The lives of the people in Cao Vều remain very difficult, with their work and production closely tied to the mountains, forests, and streams.
Over the years, with the attention of the Party and the State, and the contributions of the people, Cao Veu has built an electricity and road system, relatively meeting the living needs of the people. However, currently, the transportation system, especially the roads from the villages to the production areas that cross rivers and streams, is not yet adequate and poses many safety risks, especially during the rainy season and floods.
Recently, a tragic drowning incident occurred in Cao Veu commune. Specifically: At 5:30 PM on July 19th, a group of Cao Veu residents returning from their production area got stuck in the Veu stream due to heavy rain causing the water level to rise and the current to become strong. The group split into several smaller groups to cross the stream. However, the last two people to cross were swept away by the water: Ms. H.T.L. (46 years old, from Veu 2 village) and Mr. D.T.H. (34 years old, from Veu 3 village).
Following the accident, local residents and authorities organized a search. By the morning of July 20th, Ms. L.'s body was found more than 1 km from the accident site. By the morning of July 21st, Ms. H.'s body was found approximately 5 km from the accident site.
Mr. Dang Dinh Lam – Head of Veu 2 village – led us back to the accident site. "It's a stream about 15 meters wide, with slow-flowing water, not too deep, only about knee-deep for an adult," Mr. Lam said. "Normally, the Veu stream is very calm. However, after just one heavy rain, the water rises very quickly and flows very strongly. It's very dangerous for people to cross at this time, especially for those returning from work with cumbersome boots, protective clothing, and work tools."
Although the village already has a cemetery (the cemetery for the four villages is planned in Vều 3 village, covering an area of 1.8 hectares), and the access road to the cemetery is paved with asphalt and concrete, making travel convenient, according to local customs, people here still often bury their deceased in the family cemetery, hoping to be close to their ancestors.
Mr. Bach Dinh Dung – Head of Veu 3 village, Anh Son
Currently, the family cemeteries and production areas of the three villages of Veu 1, Veu 2, and Veu 3 are located on the other side of the Veu stream. Every day, the villagers cross over to the production area to plant corn, tea, and acacia trees (the production area of Veu 2 village alone is 100 hectares). During the rainy season, wading through the stream to reach the villagers' production areas is very dangerous. The villagers are very worried and hope that the relevant authorities and local agencies will pay attention and support the construction of a suspension bridge for the villagers.
Many issues need to be resolved.
The tragic drowning accident that claimed the lives of two people has raised an alarm about the dangers in Cao Veu commune. Immediately after the incident, the People's Committee of Anh Son district directed Phuc Son commune to urgently implement measures to ensure safety during the rainy season.
Accordingly, the People's Committee of Anh Son district requested Phuc Son commune to disseminate information and encourage people not to cross rivers and streams during the rainy season; and to regularly update weather developments and the risk of accidents and injuries during the rainy season on the local broadcasting system so that people are aware and can take preventive measures.
Phuc Son commune is urgently reviewing and placing warning signs prohibiting crossing rivers and streams at locations frequently used by residents and posing safety risks during storms; developing response plans to ensure the safety of people working and producing during periods of flooding and high water levels; reviewing and reporting on the current state of the network and infrastructure of transportation serving the production and daily life of people in Veu villages; and, based on urgent needs, proposing infrastructure solutions to address the situation.
Following the directives of Anh Son district, Phuc Son commune has been implementing measures to ensure safety during the rainy and stormy season.
The commune organized awareness campaigns to educate people about landslides and drowning prevention before the rainy season; it also conducted inspections and placed 11 warning signs in dangerous deep water areas to inform the public.
Mr. Nguyen Sy Thang – Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Phuc Son Commune
The People's Committee of Phuc Son commune, after consulting with the people, advised the People's Committee of Anh Son district on the resettlement of 9 households at risk of landslides and floods in Veu 1 village; proposed that higher authorities invest in a pedestrian suspension bridge in Veu 2 village and a service road to ensure safe travel for the people, especially during the rainy season and floods; and proposed investing in paving the road to Bop village and Chau Tam village (currently a gravel road)...
In particular, in the four villages of Cao Veu, the Khe Gon bridge at kilometer 11 of Highway 534C (belonging to Cao Veu 4 village) is frequently flooded. Here, even a single heavy rain shower causes flooding, sometimes reaching depths of over 4 meters and a width of 50 meters. When flooded, all four villages are completely isolated. Phuc Son commune earnestly hopes that the higher authorities will soon provide a solution to invest in building a bridge to help people travel more conveniently and avoid prolonged isolation during the rainy season and floods – Mr. Nguyen Sy Thang added.
Regarding the proposals from the local government and people of Phuc Son commune, Anh Son district is currently considering and addressing them. Mr. Dang Ba Ky, Head of the Economic and Infrastructure Department of the Anh Son District People's Committee, said: With the proposal to build a bridge for the people, the district has directed relevant departments to conduct surveys, make estimates, and mobilize and utilize resources for implementation.
The Khe Chon bridge, located on Provincial Road 534C and managed by the Department of Transport, has been included in the provincial plan for construction but has not yet been implemented. Regarding the roads in Bop and Chau Tam villages, the district currently lacks the funds for road surfacing and hopes for financial support from relevant authorities. Currently, Anh Son district has also directed Phuc Son commune to re-plan the centralized cemetery for the four villages, expanding it from 1.8 hectares to 5 hectares to ensure convenience for future burials.
