The story from the flood, now being told.

As the new year 2026 approaches, the streets of Phan Dinh Phung ward show no trace of the historic flood of early October. The vibrant rhythm of daily life has returned. After the loss, the people of Thai Nguyen are striving to move forward day by day. Nevertheless, the images of those days of overcoming the flood remain in the minds of the people, reminding them of the human kindness shown in times of hardship.

Police officers clean up Thai Market after the floods.

Valuable information

That day, it rained all night (from about 10 PM on October 6th to 6 AM on October 7th), with torrential rain turning the roads into massive waterfalls. Many sections of roads in Phan Dinh Phung ward were deeply flooded and impassable. Many people who woke up early in the morning were astonished to see the roads completely submerged.

About one or two hours later, the water receded on some roads, and everyone was relieved. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung, from Kosy urban area, Gia Sang ward, said: "I thought that with the water receding, the flooding was over, but right then, a friend called me and reminded me that this year's flood would be even bigger than last year's, and the peak flood level on the Cau River could be at least 50cm higher than last year, or even more."

Then he sent me a very "hot" weather forecast. After reading it, I was shocked but still managed to forward it to a few friends. I thought that many people are busy and don't have time to check social media or online news sites to get weather information, so sending them this notification was very helpful. After that, my family made plans to move our belongings from the first floor to the second floor, especially electronic appliances like the TV, refrigerator, and washing machine...

Even now, I am still very grateful for that valuable information, which helped us understand the seriousness of the flood, avoid complacency, and significantly reduce property damage. The best part was that after the storm subsided and the floodwaters receded, many of my friends called to tell me that, thanks to the valuable information I sent them, their loved ones' health was ensured, and many valuable possessions were moved to higher ground in time.

Having received the weather forecast early, Mr. Trinh Ngoc Sinh, from Group 80, Phan Dinh Phung Ward, persuaded his elderly parents to move out of the deeply flooded area (the area of ​​Group 7, former Quang Vinh Ward, now part of Quan Trieu Ward) on the night of October 6th.

Mr. Sinh said: "My parents are old and frail, so moving them to a safe place early, before the flood, not only reassures their children but also avoids making it difficult for the authorities to mobilize people and resources to rescue the family."

Provincial police officers assisted residents in moving their belongings during the historic floods of October 2025.

Weather forecasts and early warning bulletins about natural disasters are invaluable to the people, especially during the peak of the rainy season. As soon as they learned about the complex weather developments during Typhoon Matmo, the people of Thai Nguyen proactively shared information with each other.

In residential areas, weather information is continuously updated, and water levels on rivers, especially the Cau River, are updated every 30 minutes by the meteorological and hydrological agency. On online newspapers and social media platforms, Thai Nguyen Newspaper, Radio, and Television also continuously update weather information. Thanks to this, weather forecasts during the rainy season and floods have been disseminated promptly.

Ms. Le Thi Hanh, from Group 20, Quan Trieu Ward, shared: Weather forecast information plays the role of "first line of defense," helping the government and people proactively respond and minimize damage to lives and property. During the historic floods in October, the provincial authorities and relevant agencies did an excellent job of forecasting the weather and providing timely information to the people, helping many households proactively move people and property to safe places.

Route to "rescue" cars from flooding.

In Thai Nguyen during the "flood" days of early October, it was rare to find roads that weren't submerged. To "rescue" cars from the flooding, besides the Ben Tuong bridge spanning the Cau River with its swirling, fast-flowing water, a few elevated roads were chosen by residents as "parking spots" for their vehicles.

As is customary, whenever there is heavy rain, the Bac Can road, near the Thai Nguyen Department of Industry and Trade (close to alley 366), becomes a reliable place for people to park their cars to avoid flooding. From the afternoon of October 6th, with the rain falling steadily, many households in the flood-prone area of ​​the former Quang Vinh ward (now Quan Trieu) moved their cars to park along this road.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Dat, from Quang Trieu ward, said: "Because of our carelessness, during the September 2024 flood, our family's car was submerged in deep water, and the repair costs amounted to over 40 million VND. Therefore, this year during the rainy season, whenever it rains heavily, I drive my car here to 'park' it..."

After the floods, people helped each other clean up their houses and get their cars repaired.

During the days when Phan Dinh Phung ward experienced widespread flooding, thousands of cars were parked along this stretch of road, which is several hundred meters long. Many families brought clothes and food with them, so the car became a mobile home during the storm. When night fell, the car provided shelter from the wind and rain, allowing family members to rest while waiting for the floodwaters to recede.

What made everyone very happy was the civilized behavior of the residents living around the area and also those who parked their cars there. At that moment, without being told, the households on both sides of the road proactively cleaned up to clear the road and sidewalks for the cars to "take shelter".

Those parking their cars also lined up very neatly to park as many vehicles as possible and to avoid affecting the movement of traffic and the residents living in the area.

This shows just how precious sharing and mutual support are in times of hardship. It's heartwarming to see that on elevated roads, the empathy between people has "saved" many cars from being submerged. Even after the water receded and people returned to clean up their homes, the cars – valuable assets for many families – remained there, waiting for their owners to move them without fear of vandalism.

There are many more touching stories about human kindness in Thai Nguyen during the October floods. Each story, when recounted, strengthens our belief in the spirit of solidarity and brotherhood that deserves to be cherished in our nation.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202601/chuyen-trong-lu-bay-gio-moi-ke-43e189d/