Kim Tan, one of the "flood-prone areas" of Thanh Hoa province, has once again suffered the severe consequences of natural disasters. Although the floodwaters are receding, thousands of households are still living temporarily on the dike, unable to return to their homes which remain submerged in mud and stagnant water.

General cleaning of the school area in Kim Tan commune, Thanh Hoa province.

Comrade Ha Duc Tam, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Kim Tan commune, sadly shared the current situation: 30 out of 48 villages in the commune are flooded, affecting nearly 1,400 households, with hundreds having to be urgently evacuated. To date, many villages remain isolated, and people's belongings and property have been submerged and severely damaged.

Amidst these overwhelming difficulties, the sight of military vehicles marching in a convoy towards Kim Tan brought hope to the flood-affected people. Early on the morning of October 3rd, nearly 400 officers and soldiers (including over 250 officers and soldiers from Regiment 48, Division 390, Corps 12, along with forces from the Command of Defense Area 2 - Ha Trung, Thanh Hoa Provincial Military Command) and local militia quickly arrived to help the people.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Truong, Political Commissar of Regiment 48, said: "As soon as we received the order, our unit marched quickly. Many households were still deeply flooded, and televisions, refrigerators, and electrical appliances had been submerged for days and were difficult to repair. We focused on carrying people's belongings out, cleaning them, and rearranging them. Most people were still in evacuation areas, with only one person at home to look after their property, so wherever the soldiers went, whatever the people asked for, we did it immediately."

At schools and village cultural centers, there was a bustling scene of red life vests and green military uniforms. People were carrying loads, shoveling mud, sweeping garbage, and spraying disinfectant, creating an atmosphere of urgency as the goal was to quickly get public facilities back in operation.

Transporting food supplies helps the people of Kim Tan commune.

A consistent motto has been implemented among the troops: "Wherever the water recedes, clean up thoroughly," focusing on cleaning schools, offices, cultural centers, etc. Colonel Pham Huy Minh, Deputy Political Commissar of the 390th Division, said: "In the past few days, the unit has continuously deployed officers and soldiers to help people overcome the consequences of the storm and floods. Regardless of stormy weather or darkness, upon receiving requests from the locality, the unit promptly mobilizes to rescue people, such as evacuating people to safe locations, repairing dike damage, and preventing flooding... In the flooded Kim Tan area today, we are focusing our forces on cleaning schools first so that as soon as the water recedes, students can return to school immediately. This is our top priority."

The soldiers' tireless dedication touched the hearts of the people who were experiencing hardship and loss. Mr. Tran Van Duan, from Thach An village, his face still showing signs of exhaustion after days of battling the flood, choked back tears as he recounted: "The water rose so quickly, my family of six only managed to escape, but our property and house were submerged. More than a ton of rice sprouted, and our belongings, fish pond, chickens, pigs... were all swept away by the flood. The soldiers' arrival to help warmed our hearts." Ms. Tran Thi Loan, head of Thach An village, shared: "With the soldiers here, the people feel much more at ease. They have gained more strength to overcome their losses and hardships and rebuild their lives."

On October 3rd alone, the units organized cleaning and disinfection of village roads and alleys in 12 hamlets, 4 cultural centers, and 4 schools, while also assisting nearly 60 families. This is a huge amount of work, demonstrating the high determination of the soldiers.

Comrade Hoang Quy Ban, Vice Chairman of the Fatherland Front of Kim Tan commune, said: "Our locality is the 'flood epicenter' of Thanh Hoa province, so whenever there is flooding, we receive assistance from units stationed near the area. They have left a beautiful image of the Ho Chi Minh Army on the part of the Party committee, the government, and every local resident."

Text and photos: HOANG KHANH TRINH

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/nuoi-duong-van-hoa-bo-doi-cu-ho/bo-doi-giup-dan-vung-ron-lu-849041