Schools in the mountainous areas of Nghe An will beat drums to signal if hydropower plants suddenly release floodwaters.

Unified emergency command

Luong Minh Boarding Secondary School (Tuong Duong) is located next toNam Non River,between two large hydropower plants, Ban Ve upstream and Nam Non downstream. The “stuck” situation is really dangerous during the rainy season, especially when it rains heavily, floods from upstream flow in, hydropower plants release massive floodwaters, landslides block the road.

School dismissal time for students at Na Ngoi Primary School 1 (Ky Son). Photo: Cong Kien

In such a situation, if students still travel on the roads and along the river banks, streams, they will be very susceptible to being swept away or injured. Not to mention, the density of streams here is dense with short and steep characteristics, just a heavy rain will cause the water to rise and flow rapidly. To get to school, students in Dua, Minh Tien, Minh Thanh and Cham Puong villages have to cross streams many times, so it is difficult to ensure safety when there is a sudden flood.

Aware of the potential dangers of flood season, schools and local authorities have taken practical measures to ensure the safety of students.

“At the beginning of the school year, we conduct surveys to identify risks affecting students' health and lives, including:risk of drowningand the risk of injury can be huge. From there, develop plans and find measures to ensure safety.

Mr. Tran Hung Thai - Principal of Luong Minh Boarding Secondary School

The joy of going to class of students at Tam Thai Primary School (Tuong Duong). Photo: Duc Anh

According to Mr. Thai, before the opening day, the school organized a propaganda session on drowning and injury prevention for students. Teachers presented specific situations, close to the local reality for students to grasp and implement. In particular, the emergency command was unified by a continuous drum beat when the situation occurred when the hydroelectric power plant suddenly released flood with high intensity.

When the command is given, all students and teachers will immediately move along the trail to the top of the mountain behind the school to ensure safety. Normally, students who live near the school who are not boarding students, the school always reminds and coordinates with their families to manage in the best way. As for boarding students, it is absolutely forbidden to go to the river to bathe and wash, and they are encouraged not to go home on days of heavy rain...

Also in Tuong Duong, Huu Khuong Boarding Secondary School is located in the middle ofBan Ve Hydroelectric Reservoir. Most students go to school by boat or on foot, and the rainy season always carries the risk of drowning and accidents due to landslides. In river areas, children have more or less safety skills, but that does not mean that schools and local authorities can be subjective and lax.

Most students in Huu Khuong commune (Tuong Duong) have to go to school by motorboat. Photo: Contributor

Principal Nguyen Duc Son said that at the beginning of the school year, the school organized a thorough education for all students about the risks and measures to prevent drowning and accidents during the rainy season. Along with that, skills for participating in water transport (wearing life jackets, sitting positions, procedures for getting on and off the boat) were also specifically disseminated.

During the rainy and flood days, the school arranged for teachers to be on duty 24/7, not allowing students to go home when the water level was rising. “At this time, the school regularly coordinated and contacted the Commune People's Committee and the Village Management Board to grasp the actual situation in the area, promptly having a plan to handle the situation when the rain and flood occurred,” said Mr. Son.

Develop specific plans for each locality

In Tuong Duong there are also many communes with dense streams,risk of flash floods, flash floods and landslides are very high like the "flood center" Yen Tinh and the communes of Nhon Mai, Mai Son, Tam Hop, Luu Kien, Xa Luong...

“The district regularly directs communes and schools to implement measures to ensure safety for students during the rainy and flood season. When there is a possibility of rain or storms, the district issues a telegram requesting officials and people to actively prevent, combat, and urge them to ensure safety at schools.”

Mr. Lo Thanh Nhat - Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee

Along with boating, students in Huu Khuong commune (Tuong Duong) also have to walk on small, steep roads. Photo: Contributor

Many other mountainous areas such as Con Cuong, Que Phong, Ky Son, Quy Chau... have a high density of streams, and water levels often rise when there is heavy rain. For example, in Thach Ngan commune (Con Cuong), there are schools that have to cross 5-7 spillways, and when it rains heavily at once, they are flooded, so the People's Committee of the commune and the schools have to assign staff and teachers to be on duty at both ends of the bridge.

If the water level is too high, students will not be allowed to cross. If the water level is low, the on-duty team will take turns taking the students across the stream. For example, in Chau Khe commune (Con Cuong), to get to Khe Nong village, you have to cross the stream 7 times. It often rains heavily, so it is very difficult to cross. At this time, teachers at Chau Cam Secondary School encourage students from Khe Nong village not to go home on weekends when there is no urgent matter. If there is a need, their parents must pick them up.

The way to school of students in Yen Tinh commune (Tuong Duong). Photo: Dinh Tuan

As for My Ly commune (Ky Son), it is located at the source of Nam Non river. From the commune center to remote villages such as Cha Nga, Xop Duong, Nhot Lot... it is still very difficult. The road must be traveled by boat or motorbike, sometimes walking along trails and along rivers and streams, so ensuring the safety of students is a constant concern of schools and local authorities.

Like many other localities, propaganda work and raising awareness for students and parents are carried out regularly. Management and supervision of students during the time of incidentsfloodsalways taken seriously.

Youth Union members of Huu Khuong commune (Tuong Duong) help the Kindergarten pave the yard, ensuring safety for students. Photo: Contributor

According to local leaders, whenever there is heavy rain, they remind schools and village management boards to pay special attention to the safety of students during rainy and flood days. They direct units to develop specific plans when there is a risk of flash floods or landslides in the area to avoid being passive and confused...