Bac Ninh: Providing support to people in flood-affected areas.

BAC NINH - The rain has stopped, the sun is shining, but floodwaters are still rising, isolating many areas along the Cau and Thuong rivers. Due to the influence of the remnants of Typhoon No. 11, as of October 8th, thousands of households in Bac Ninh province, along with their property and infrastructure, remain submerged in floodwaters. Amidst the vast expanse of water, the solidarity among the people shines brightly, giving them strength and confidence to overcome this difficult time.

Efforts to relocate residents to safety.

Amidst the scene of houses deeply submerged and alleyways transformed into small rivers, the figures of police officers, soldiers, militia members, youth union members, and volunteers in their yellow and blue uniforms could be seen working day and night, assisting residents with relocation, transporting essential supplies, reinforcing and building sandbag embankments to raise flood protection for the dikes, with the highest goal being the protection of people's lives and property.

Officers and soldiers of Regiment 831, Provincial Military Command, evacuate residents in Bo Ha commune.

“Rung Dai Village - Yen The: My place is about to be flooded, there are elderly people, young children, and people with disabilities in my house… please help me!” – a desperate plea posted hastily on social media amidst rising floodwaters on the afternoon of October 7th was quickly answered. Just minutes after receiving the report, the Fire and Rescue Police (Provincial Police) coordinated with the military and local authorities to brave the raging floodwaters to reach the location where people were in distress. In the heavy rain, the flickering flashlight beams, the outstretched arms reaching across the water, and the loudspeaker calls for help erased any barriers. The strength of solidarity between the soldiers and the people helped rescue 11 residents, including the elderly, people with disabilities, and three young children, bringing them to safety… Amidst the torrential rain, the good news from Rung Dai village brought tears to everyone's eyes.

As of 5 PM on October 8th, the critical areas in the province were basically stable; in the dike breach area of ​​Tien Luc commune, forces continued to assist people in moving themselves and their property to safe places; in Dong Ky commune, rescue forces continued to evacuate 20 households in Gieng Chanh village to safety…

On the evening of October 7th, in Hop Thinh commune, the rising water level of the Cau River threatened hundreds of households, prompting local authorities to quickly implement an evacuation plan. By 9 PM, all elderly people, young children, pregnant women, and people with disabilities had been moved out of the flooded area; essential belongings and livestock were moved to higher ground; and schools were repurposed as temporary shelters. Mr. Ngo Van Cu, 65 years old, who has difficulty walking, was carried out of his house by authorities and relatives amidst the floodwaters. In the brightly lit classroom, he choked back tears, saying, "The officials took care of our meals and sleep, giving us advice like family. This kindness during the flood is more precious than anything else."

Mr. Nguyen Van Thang, Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune, said that in the area where people are temporarily residing, the commune provides essential supplies, arranges kindergarten teachers to cook meals, and sets up places for people to eat and sleep. For households in the flooded areas, the commune encourages them to stock up on food for a week. The local authorities have deployed personnel on duty 24/7 to constantly monitor information and ensure food and supplies for the people, preventing any shortage of food or drinking water.

Tien Luc commune has 16 km of dike along the Thuong River. From the night of October 7th to the early morning of October 8th, the river water rose rapidly, flooding many villages. Immediately, thousands of people were urgently evacuated. The headlights of mobile vehicles shone on the water's surface, people called out to each other, and the rhythmic footsteps of the rescue forces echoed incessantly... Throughout the night, more than 200 soldiers from Regiment 2, Division 3 (Military Region 1), along with nearly 100 police officers, commune officials, and local residents, divided into groups, went to houses with people still inside, using boats, ropes, or strung up inflatable rafts to bring the elderly, children, and essential belongings to safety.

According to Nguyen Van Long, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tien Luc commune: From the night of October 7th, heavy rain combined with flooding from upstream caused many dikes to overflow, resulting in localized flooding. Early on the morning of October 8th, a section of the embankment about 20 meters long broke, but the authorities promptly dealt with the situation, and the repairs are basically complete. The commune has evacuated more than 500 households from dangerous areas. By the time the sun rose, hundreds of households had reached safety.

Reinforce dikes to prevent flooding.

Another urgent task was to reinforce the dikes and block the water. In Phuc Hoa commune, when a section of the Thuong River dike showed signs of overflowing and erosion, hundreds of officials, militia members, and local people quickly moved soil and sandbags to reinforce the dike. The rain continued to pour down, everyone was soaked, but no one left their post. Some soldiers had bleeding hands from holding shovels for so long, but they just smiled and said, "As long as the dike doesn't break, that's all that matters."

Officers and soldiers of the 675th Artillery Brigade and local people build dikes to prevent flooding in Hop Thinh commune. Photo: Trinh Lan.

In Kinh Bac ward, the Cau River's floodwaters rose above alert level 3, threatening the Dau Han dike that protects nearly 400 households. From the night of October 7th to noon on October 8th, hundreds of police and military personnel, along with local residents, worked through the night piling up sandbags to raise the dike's height to withstand the flood. The sounds of excavators mingled with the shouts of people calling out to each other, and headlights shone on the heavy sandbags. Amidst the swirling water, mud-stained shoes continued to move tirelessly, forming a long human wall along the dike against the rising floodwaters.

Not only in Phuc Hoa commune or Kinh Bac ward, but also officers and soldiers from army, police, and militia units have been mobilized to take turns on guard duty, ready to respond promptly to any unusual developments on dikes, vulnerable points, and areas prone to deep flooding.

According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Environment, on the left bank of the Thuong Duong Duc dike, specifically the section from K2+600 to K2+627, the river-side slope erosion is being repaired and the eroded area is being restored. On the right bank of the Thuong Duong Duc dike, there are two locations where dike overflows and one location where the river-side slope has slid. On the right bank of the Cau dike, several locations are experiencing seepage and leakage on the dike slope, which are being continuously monitored by relevant authorities and local governments. The subsidence at the Nhu Nguyet embankment at K30+700 and the erosion ditch on the dike slope at K37+700 on the river side were temporarily addressed by the People's Committees of Tam Giang and Yen Trung communes from the very beginning. Several sections of the embankment experiencing landslides and surface overflows were also promptly addressed…

Humanity in the flood

Bac Ninh is one of four provinces at the epicenter of widespread flooding caused by the remnants of Typhoon No. 11. Over the past 24 hours, authorities at all levels and relevant agencies have been urgently carrying out evacuation efforts. In times of hardship, the spirit of solidarity among compatriots shines even brighter.

Youth union members in Hop Thinh commune prepare free meals for people affected by floods.

At evacuation sites, the smell of rice and hot food permeated the classrooms repurposed as temporary shelters. Thousands of meals, drinks, warm clothing, and medicine were promptly sent by organizations and philanthropists. In Tam Giang commune, the local authorities mobilized forces to prepare nearly 150 free meals each day for people in the flooded areas. The Women's Union of Xuan Cam commune organized the cooking of hundreds of meals for the rescue forces.

Tan Soi village (Yen The commune) has 165 households with nearly 600 inhabitants. In recent days, floodwaters have risen, and although all the elderly and children have been evacuated to safe areas, nearly 40 households with over 100 people remain isolated and facing severe shortages. To help alleviate the difficulties faced by the local people, the Provincial Labor Union has mobilized businesses to donate hundreds of cases of drinking water, dried food, and instant noodles to help the villagers overcome this disaster.

The storm was a test of human resilience. Amidst the torrential rain, we still saw boats laden with food, life jackets, and the unwavering gazes of soldiers and civilians. In the midst of the floodwaters, they were "living beacons," kindling hope. The floods will eventually pass, but human kindness will endure. Although many hardships and challenges lie ahead, the spirit of mutual support and solidarity in times of difficulty and adversity is a precious source of energy that will help the people overcome all obstacles and quickly return to normalcy.

Thai Uyen - Duong Hoan

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/bac-ninh-tiep-suc-cho-nguoi-dan-vung-lu-postid428420.bbg