The spirit of neighbors helping neighbors, communes helping communes, communities joining hands to 'overcome' floods

Carrying rice and moving buffalo and cows all night

Due to the impact of the storm circulation, Nghe An province has experienced prolonged heavy rains, causing flooding, landslides, dyke overflows, etc. in many localities such as Thanh Chuong, Do Luong, Nam Dan, Hung Nguyen, Yen Thanh, Nghi Loc, Dien Chau, Quynh Luu, Ky Son, Hoang Mai, Vinh City, etc. Many villages, hamlets, wards and communes have been surrounded, isolated and cut off by floodwaters; thousands of houses are deeply submerged in water; people's lives have been completely disrupted...

Floods deeply inundate the flood-prone area of ​​Bich Hao (Thanh Chuong). Photo: Huy Thu

In the face of difficulties and calamities, people in localities in the province have promoted the spirit of self-reliance, solidarity, unity, mutual support and assistance. In addition to the attention of authorities, departments and branches at all levels, people in communes and districts have made efforts, proactively responded and joined hands to support the community in flood prevention.

Heavy rain, fast-rising floods, many villages, hamlets, and families had to flee the flood all night. Authorities and people in many localities stayed up all night to fight the flood. Wherever they heard the sound of drums and gongs warning, people were ready to cross the flood, dividing into small groups, going to each hamlet to help flooded families, evacuate the elderly and children, transport food, move livestock and poultry...

People of Thanh Xuan commune (Thanh Chuong) help each other move their belongings to avoid the flood. Photo: Huy Thu

In Phu Lap hamlet, the most heavily flooded area in Thanh Xuan commune (Thanh Chuong), people's love is warmer than ever. While water is everywhere, threatening their lives, people still join hands to harvest cassava to escape the flood, forming a rescue team that works day and night to help people move rice, evacuate buffaloes and cows, take people to buy medicine, go to the hospital, transport relief goods...

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hue - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Thanh Xuan Commune Party Committee (Thanh Chuong), and also an active member of the rescue team, shared: Every flood season, Thanh Xuan Commune is often flooded, especially Phu Lap Hamlet. In that situation, the households wholeheartedly helped each other. Especially, since the children who left home donated a motorized plastic boat, the hamlet's rescue team has been more effective, supporting more families.

In times of hardship and shortage, people in flooded areas share cans and bottles of clean water with each other. Photo: Huy Thu

Along with rescue and shock troops, in Thanh Chuong area, the volunteer team "Zero-dong Car Trip" operates continuously, despite flood waters, actively transporting charity gifts to give to people. The association of electricians in the district also organizes free repairs for people in flooded areas...

Not only in Thanh Chuong district, but also in many other localities in the province such as Yen Thanh, Dien Chau, Quynh Luu..., people also highly promote the spirit of self-awareness, ready to help each other in natural disasters and floods: hamlets help hamlets, communes help communes, localities help each other.

Perhaps the image that moved many people about the love of the countryside in the midst of the flood was the scene of dozens of people from Dien Doai commune (Dien Chau) helping a local chicken farm, plucking and processing nearly 4,000 chickens that died due to the flood, to import to zoos, recouping some of the capital they had invested.

People of Dien Doai commune (Dien Chau) join hands to help a chicken farm owner process chickens that died due to flooding to import to zoos. Photo: Van Hau

Soldiers help people build dikes to prevent floods in Thanh Luong commune (Thanh Chuong). Photo: Contributor

Community joins hands to help flood victims

When “silver water covered the countryside”, departments, branches and organizations at all levels promptly organized relief activities, visited and gave gifts; people in the districts volunteered to cook rice and sticky rice to supply people in heavily flooded areas, and donated money to buy necessities, instant noodles, etc. to send to people in flooded areas.

The "Zero-dong Bus" volunteer team in Thanh Chuong rowed a boat through the flood to give charity gifts to people. Photo: Huy Thu

These days, many charity trucks loaded with food, drinks, life jackets, medicine, etc. from people in provinces and cities across the country have begun to arrive in Nghe An to promptly support people in flooded areas. Many Nghe An people far from home have taken trains and planes to return home to do charity work, some have mobilized human resources and vehicles (cars, boats) to return home to help people fight the floods.

Joining the shock troops, struggling in the rain and wind to help people fight the flood, accompanying associations and organizations to give charity gifts to local people, Mr. Nguyen Duc Tay (25 years old) in Dien Ky commune (Dien Chau) shared: These days, flood water is inundating some hamlets. The rescue forces of the youth of hamlet 2, the youth of Ben Den parish, the commune militia and the people are trying to supply food, and transporting furniture, vehicles, livestock and poultry of flooded households to avoid the flood...

"Coming to the flood-affected people, I saw firsthand the hardships of the people. In the midst of the flood, simple gifts of necessities, filled with people's affection, became more precious than ever. The people here have been united and joined hands to overcome the flood. I hope the flood waters will recede quickly so that people can overcome the consequences and soon stabilize their lives," said Mr. Tay.

Young people in Hamlet 2, Dien Ky Commune (Dien Chau) help local people move their belongings to avoid floods. Photo: Van Tay

It is known that during the flood from September 28 until now, in Nghe An, 8 people have died due to different causes, such as drowning, electric shock, etc. Among them, the tragic drowning of Mr. Nguyen Van A. and his wife in Nghi Lam commune (Nghi Loc) leaving behind 3 young children made everyone feel heartbroken.

The government, departments, branches at all levels, the social community, charity groups... have paid attention, encouraged promptly, shared both material and spiritual support, to help the families of the victims, especially the 3 orphans in Nghi Loc district. Those are the sincere feelings, the responsible sharing of the community and society towards the tragic circumstances.

Tien Ky Commune (Tan Ky) organizes support for local people affected by floods. Photo: Hong Tuong

We know that the consequences of storms and floods are huge, with irreparable losses and pain, but with the efforts and overcoming difficulties of the people, the attention of departments and branches at all levels from the central to local levels, and the social community with meaningful and practical gifts, it has warmed the hearts of people in flooded areas.

During the flood disaster, once again, the spirit of solidarity and sharing between the army and people in and outside the province was lit up and spread. The tradition of mutual love and support, the resilient character of Nghe An people are being promoted more than ever, contributing to encouraging and supporting people in flood-affected areas to overcome difficulties, defeat floods, and stabilize their lives.