After three days of flash floods and landslides, the villages in Tuong Duong are marked with stains on the walls, water marks are still visible on the windows, and huge rocks have fallen into the streams, blocking the water flow… The flood has passed, and property damage is evident, but the greatest blessing is that people's lives have been saved. This is thanks to the survival skills of each villager, the effective implementation of the "four on-the-spot" measures, and the spirit of solidarity between the military and civilians in overcoming the devastating flood…

Staying up all night to brave the flood

Sitting in front of the brand-new washing machine, refrigerator, and water filter, purchased after years of family savings and now covered in mud, dirt, and rocks, Ms. Quang Thi Hai from Pung village, Luu Kien commune, said with a trembling voice: "Everything is gone, everything is ruined." And perhaps, many years from now, she will never forget the terrifying memory of the night of September 30th, when the flash flood suddenly swept through. At that time, she and her four children had just finished preparing dinner when it started raining heavily. Before they could finish their meal, they heard the sound of water rushing towards the back of the house, accompanied by the sound of falling earth and rocks. Immediately, she grabbed her three children (the oldest 10 years old, the second 2 years old, and the youngest only 1 year old; her husband was working in Ky Son district) and ran outside.

“Just as we managed to get outside, all the windows were completely blown open by the pressure of the water, mud, and rocks, and the mud and rocks poured into the house. In about 10 minutes, both rooms of the house, along with our belongings, were submerged in mud, rocks, and tree branches to a height of about 1.5 meters. Luckily, I quickly got my child out without hesitation; safety was paramount, so I didn't try to crawl back in to retrieve our belongings,” recounted Ms. Quang Thi Hai.

Ban Dua is a disadvantaged village, inhabited only by the elderly and young children, with those of working age having gone away for work. Therefore, when natural disasters occur, relocation and evacuation face considerable difficulties. Anticipating these specific circumstances, the village committee and local authorities always have contingency plans and scenarios in place to respond to emergencies. “When heavy rains occur with high intensity, the village committee informs the residents, urging those living along the Mat stream to proactively seek shelter with relatives. At the same time, they deploy forces to assist in the emergency evacuation and report to the commune for rescue,” said Vi Van Dan, Secretary of the Ban Dua Party Branch.

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The village of Bản Pủng has 100 households living along a narrow stream, so when floods from upstream occur, they are often blocked, causing landslides. The backs of the houses are nestled against the mountain, with many small streams seeping out. In recent days, due to prolonged rain, the small streams have also filled with water. That afternoon, the disaster prevention and control force of Lưu Kiền commune went directly to the village to assess the situation, disseminate information, and urge people to prepare contingency plans and evacuate immediately in case of an emergency. Therefore, when the flash flood arrived, 100 households, with the support of the local government and the "four on-the-spot" forces, were able to evacuate in time. Only 4 households suffered property damage from mud and rocks collapsing onto their houses.

Three days after the flash flood, nearly 90 households in Dua village, Luong Minh commune, are still reeling from the devastating natural disaster. Mr. Lo Van Khue (54 years old) recounted in shock: “It rained heavily for about two hours, with continuous thunder and lightning, and then about an hour later, the flash flood came. Water from upstream poured down relentlessly, the river rose, flowing fiercely, and landslides of soil and rocks threatened to sweep away and bury everything. In just about 30 minutes, half the households in the village were submerged.”

Due to the unique terrain, landslides, and floods are commonplace, so most villagers have the skills and experience to "live with" them. Mrs. Lo Thi Minh's house is occupied only by her elderly parents, who are considered single parents. Her husband, Mr. Lo Van Hang, suffered a stroke and is bedridden. Their house is located on the riverbank, making it highly vulnerable. Therefore, from the afternoon, when she saw the sky turn gray, the water level rise, and the rain begin to fall heavily, she asked someone to carry her husband to a relative's house at the beginning of the village, while she gathered some essential belongings to take with her.

“We had just finished dinner at our grandchild's house and were getting ready for bed when the flash flood struck. Luckily, we had evacuated beforehand, otherwise, we really wouldn't know what would have happened. My wife is old and frail, and my husband had suffered a stroke.” The next day, when the water receded, she asked someone to bring her husband back home to clean up and deal with the aftermath. However, upon hearing the weather forecast predicting continued heavy rain in Nghe An, she and her husband decided to take shelter at their grandchild's house.

At home with her young child, when she saw the floodwaters rising, Ms. Ngan Thi Hong (from Dua village) quickly used a rope with a tensioner attached, securing one end to the window and the other end to a nearby mound of earth. She then slid down the rope to find a safer, higher place to take shelter. “Just as I reached a safe, dry place, I looked back and saw the stilt house shaking, and the toilet had been swept into the river by the floodwaters. It was a close call,” Ms. Hong recalled. According to Ms. Hong, during the rainy season, she always prepares rechargeable lamps, flashlights, fully charged phone batteries, and cables and tensioners for use when needed.

On the evening of September 30th, upon receiving reports from the remote villages, Comrade Vi Dinh Phuc, Chairman of the People's Committee of Luong Minh commune, quickly contacted the village committees with the "order": Urgently evacuate residents, ensuring safety of life above all else. At the same time, mobilize the local "four on-the-spot" forces to find the safest way to reach the isolated villages to provide assistance.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Hien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong District, was one of the district officials who braved the forest roads to reach Luong Minh commune on the night of September 30th, immediately after receiving reports from the area. He stated: "When we arrived at Dua village and the primary school that night, we were truly shocked to see the school buildings submerged. The greatest blessing was that all the students and teachers were safe. This was thanks to the proactive spirit and disaster response experience of the commune and village officials and the teachers who responsibly stayed at the school, anticipating the situation and proactively evacuating the students."

Experience in mobilization

"4-on-the-spot" forces

Early in the morning of October 1st, we, along with officers and soldiers from the Military Command of Tuong Duong District, traveled from Thach Giam town to Pung village, Luu Kien commune, one of the areas affected by landslides and flooding after the flash flood on the night of September 30th. When we arrived, the mud and debris, more than 1 meter high, that had collapsed onto Ms. Quang Thi Hai's house had been almost completely cleared. "Thanks to the officers and soldiers of the District Military Command and the militia, police, and commune officials who helped with the cleanup early, we've now been able to basically remove the mud and rocks," Ms. Hai said.

Late on the morning of October 1st, having learned that the road to the flood-stricken area of ​​Luong Minh had been reopened, we left Pung village and headed to Luong Minh commune. The 22-kilometer journey from Thach Giam town to Luong Minh commune required the four-wheel-drive pickup truck to maintain a moderate speed, especially on sharp curves and sections prone to landslides, inching forward. “Preparing to cross the suspension bridge, please lower your windows,” Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Xuan Dai, Commander of the Tuong Duong Military Command, said as he lowered the windows and reminded the other members. Sitting in the slow, cautious vehicle, feeling the swaying motion of the bridge precariously perched over the murky, turbulent river, no one spoke a word.

After a 15-kilometer journey, we reached the beginning of Luong Minh commune, where the road was muddy, covered in soil and rocks up to our knees due to a flash flood. The car stopped. Standing on the knee-deep mud, Mr. La Van Thai, Head of the Economic and Infrastructure Department of the Tuong Duong District People's Committee, soaked from the rain, gestured and said, "The car can get through for now, but you must follow the directions and stay close to the inner edge of the mountain slope." Then, he stepped aside, signaling the excavator driver to clear some of the soil and rocks from the road and move the car aside so we could pass through to Dua village.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Xuan Dai said: “The district deployed excavators overnight so that the earth and rocks could be cleared this morning, allowing vehicles to pass. At midnight last night, after receiving news of the flash flood in Dua village, the district leaders and the working group had to get out of their vehicles and risk climbing over the mud and debris that was on the verge of collapsing to reach the villagers. Although they knew it was very dangerous, the presence of district officials at that time helped the villagers feel more secure knowing they had someone to rely on.”

After traveling another 3 km, through many bends, the road was still covered with earth, rocks, and water flowing down from the mountains. Occasionally, small rocks, carried along by the soil, slid onto the road. Reaching the center of Bản Đửa village, where the flood had struck overnight, nearly a dozen houses were buried under earth and rocks, and the scene of devastation was still evident. However, we didn't see any complaints or lamentations. Instead, we saw the bustling activity of military and police forces, district and commune officials, village officials, and residents urgently cleaning up and repairing the remnants of the fierce flood. Even though they hadn't slept all night, and some only managed to snatch 5-10 minutes of sleep, as soon as dawn broke, the rain stopped, and the water receded, they immediately began cleaning up and assisting the villagers in their recovery.

At the same time, police and military forces were mobilized to the landslide sites to help the people. With roads impassable, they had to walk, navigating through treacherous landslide areas to reach the households affected by the flash floods. Each person did their part, and the forces worked side-by-side to help the people overcome the devastation and losses. The mud, knee-deep, and earth and rocks, piled high and scattered everywhere, were gradually cleared thanks to the combined efforts of the military and the people.

Mr. Vi Van Dan, Secretary of the Party Branch of Dua village, said: “From early morning, before the road was open, the soldiers and police officers waded in to help the villagers. Upon arrival, they immediately started cleaning up. By 5 PM on October 1st, the amount of soil and rocks in people's houses had been cleared. We, the villagers, are very grateful to them.” In addition, the Youth Union, the Farmers' Association, the Women's Association, etc., also mobilized their members to promptly assist the villagers in cleaning up the scene. Mr. Lo Van Thanh, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and Deputy Head of the Flood and Storm Control Command of Tuong Duong district, helped the villagers clear mud from classrooms while simultaneously updating the situation on the Zalo group for disaster relief efforts. Mr. Thanh said that on the night of September 30th, the district simultaneously deployed district officials to directly go into the village to supervise, and assigned departments and individuals to mobilize manpower from the District Police, the District Military Command, and vehicles and machinery to clear the roads and remove mud and debris.

After the devastating flood subsided, the sunken eyes and weary, exhausted faces of the local officials and residents, after a sleepless night fleeing the rising waters, all felt reassured, fortunate, and happy that despite the sudden and devastating flood, human lives were safe. Because "as long as there are people, there is hope"... We believe that with the spirit of solidarity, mutual support, and compassion, along with the efforts of the local people and the attention of all levels of government, the lives of the people in Tuong Duong district will soon return to normal once the flood is over.