In the early morning of October 27, on the way from Tam Ky ward to Tra Leng commune to participate in rescue, arriving at village 4, Lanh Ngoc commune, they discovered that about 60m of asphalt road ahead had seriously sunk, some places sank more than 2m deep. Officers and soldiers of Engineering Brigade 270 (Military Region 5) immediately stretched warning ropes, regulated traffic flow for motorbikes, and at the same time organized two teams of excavators and bulldozers to urgently level and reinforce the road surface so that Military Region 5 could bring in forces and vehicles.

Soldiers and militiamen participated in clearing mud and landslides on National Highway 40B connecting Tra My commune with the highland communes west of Da Nang city. Photo: VIET HUNG

After the torrential rains, National Highway 40B was flooded 0.5-1m deep, making it very difficult for forces and vehicles to move. While moving and clearing the road, after nearly 12 hours of marching, at noon of the same day, the main units were still nearly 40km away from Tra Leng and Tra Tan. Colonel Nguyen Van Hoa, Deputy Chief of Staff of Military Region 5, while opening bags of dry food to distribute to the soldiers, continuously encouraged: "The people in the highlands are waiting for us every minute, every second. I request that you all uphold your sense of responsibility, each person work as two, determined to reach Tra Leng to reach the people in the landslide and isolated area as soon as possible."

Previously, on the night of October 26 and early morning of October 27, the hill behind the house of Ms. Le Thi Xuan Tra (39 years old, residing in village 5, Tra Tan commune) suddenly collapsed, causing the collapse of two bedrooms. Fortunately, a few hours before, all 6 members of her family were evacuated by soldiers and police, so there were no casualties. However, the rocks and soil from the high hill continuously rushed over Ms. Tra's house, covering nearly 60m of road 40B and flooding into the houses of households on the other side of the road.

Under the cold rain, 30 officers and soldiers of the Defense Command of Area 3 - Tra My, the Military Command and the Tra Tan Commune Police actively helped families collect their belongings, while using three-wheeled vehicles and wheelbarrows to transport mud and soil, clearing the road surface. Directly commanding the forces at the scene, Lieutenant Colonel Vo Tien Manh, Deputy Commander of the Defense Command of Area 3 - Tra My, said: "The volume of landslide behind Ms. Tra's house is up to several hundred cubic meters, causing congestion and danger to people passing by. To ensure safety, in the immediate future, we will organize forces to divert and regulate traffic and use bricks and stones to build a makeshift dike to prevent mud and soil from spilling onto the road, while actively dredging and collecting mud and soil to clear the road surface."

Soldiers and militiamen participate in clearing mud and landslides on National Highway 40B connecting Tra My commune with the highland communes west of Da Nang city. Photo: VIET HUNG

Faced with the complicated developments of floods and rains, since mid-October, the Da Nang City Military Command has directed its subordinate agencies and units to send regular troops to "hide" at the headquarters of the Military Commands of districts, towns, and cities (old) to be ready to mobilize and rescue people when bad situations occur. Thanks to that, when the main roads in Tra Tap, Tra Linh, Tra Giap, Tra Leng... were cut off, the troops were still present in the villages and hamlets to support nearly 2,000 households of the Ca Dong, Cor, Mnong ethnic groups and Kinh people in the dangerous area to evacuate safely. Amidst the mountains and white rain, the headquarters of the Military Commands of Nam Tra My and Tien Phuoc districts (old) became a warm home for nearly 300 people, most of whom were children, the elderly, and pregnant women. Caring for the people as if they were caring for themselves, officers, soldiers, police and militia carefully prepared meals, encouraged and talked to people to help them ease their anxiety and feel secure to evacuate.

On the morning of October 27, upon receiving news that the vital road from the unit to Tra Leng commune had many landslides blocking traffic, despite the danger, the reconnaissance team led by Lieutenant Colonel Vo Ngoc Hai, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Defense Command of Region 3 - Tra My, immediately marched on foot and cut through the forest to assess the situation.

"People in Tra Leng are still safe. Households near rivers and streams have evacuated since the day before. Households in isolated areas all have enough food and provisions for 7-10 days. However, at Km75+900 and Tra Giac intersection, National Highway 40B is currently experiencing serious landslides. We request that agencies report to higher authorities to increase forces and means to clear the road, in case of prolonged rain and floods, leaving people without food, provisions, and medicine."

Around noon, receiving information from his subordinates, Lieutenant Colonel Dang Ngoc Toan, Commander of the Defense Command of Region 3 - Tra My shared with us: The situation of floods and landslides in the highland communes is serious and very complicated, but thanks to the good promotion of "4 on-site" and proactively sending forces to the grassroots to actively propagate, mobilize, and evacuate people, the damage has been greatly reduced. With 5 households having their houses cracked and walls collapsed by soil, the unit promptly mobilized forces to support, help, and ensure adequate accommodation for the people. Currently, the unit is organizing inspections, reviews, adjustments, and supplements to plans for natural disaster prevention, control, and rescue; Advance funds to purchase additional reserves of vehicles, materials, food, medicine, and gasoline, and regularly strengthen shock teams and units, ready to mobilize to support and rescue in all directions when sudden or bad situations occur.

At 3 p.m. on October 27, the rain became heavier. In the meeting room of the Forward Command Board for Disaster Prevention, Control, Rescue and Relief of Military Region 5 in Tra My, Colonel Nguyen Van Hoa, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Military Region, Head of the Forward Command Board and leaders and commanders of relevant agencies and units closely monitored and updated the latest information on the flood situation. On the topographic map, the roads that were cut off, landslides, bypasses, and detours to access high-risk areas were all marked, detailed, and the most effective response plan was agreed upon.

Engineer Brigade 270 (Military Region 5) leveled and reinforced a collapsed section of road on National Highway 40B. Photo: VIET HUNG

In the afternoon and evening of the same day, directly inspecting and grasping the situation at landslide locations and routes, high-risk residential areas and concentrated evacuation points in the area, Colonel Nguyen Van Hoa and comrade Tran Nam Hung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Da Nang City highly appreciated the sense of responsibility of the local Party Committee, government and armed forces in proactively grasping the situation, promptly and effectively handling situations, ensuring safety for the people. Forecasting that the flood situation would continue to be complicated, the leaders of Da Nang City requested localities to urgently inspect, review and evacuate all households in low-lying and dangerous areas to safe places; coordinate with functional forces and the 270th Engineer Brigade to speed up the progress of road clearance at landslide locations; proactively supplement and stockpile essential goods and vehicles ready to mobilize to rescue people when ordered.

With a positive and proactive spirit, Military Region 5 mobilized additional communications forces, UAV teams, and mobile kitchen vehicles to Tra My and by the evening of October 27, these forces were present at the assembly area to carry out their duties.../.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/nuoi-duong-van-hoa-bo-doi-cu-ho/bang-rung-vuot-lu-cuu-dan-942731