Sharing the burden with Da Nang

During days of heavy, prolonged rain, when floodwaters rise and the city is almost completely shrouded in the thick gray of the sky, some people seek refuge in Da Nang.

The Dak Lak Green Agriculture group used drones to deliver essential supplies to isolated residents in Tra My commune. (Photo: Provided by the group)

They came not because they were called upon, but from an inherent call of humanity and responsibility, all coming together to share the burden with the city during its most difficult days.

Rescue plane

On the morning of October 26th, as roads in Tra Giac and Tra Leng communes began to be cut off, the Green Agriculture group from Dak Lak province traveled nearly 500 kilometers to provide assistance.

The three members, Thanh Bach, Duong Van Luan, and Nguyen Van Dat, brought along a T70 drone, a device used in high-tech agriculture, which has now become a rescue tool in the landslide area.

The team moved continuously between Bac Tra My and the highland communes, both scouting the route and waiting for engineers to clear the collapsed sections of the mountain pass. Bach recounted that at times, the vehicle was stuck for hours because of rolling rocks ahead and mud covering the wheels behind. The team could only assist households near the stream; those further away had to wait for authorities to clear the road before they could reach them.

From the moment they arrived in Tra Leng, the team determined that using drones was the only way to reach the isolated area.

They dropped small bags containing drinking water, dried food, life jackets, and other essential supplies for the people who were stranded.

In just two days, more than 10 emergency cases were rescued from the floodwaters, and hundreds of households received essential supplies by air, while the terrain remained completely cut off.

Mr. Bach shared: "This aircraft is a personal device; the group members pooled their money to buy it for agricultural purposes, not a specialized rescue device. Flying in this kind of weather carries a very high risk. But for the sake of our people, we accept the possibility of sacrificing the equipment."

In the raging waters

From the morning of October 27th, as the Vu Gia River rose and many mountainous areas were isolated, the BDS Charity Association from Ho Chi Minh City reappeared on the relief map. The team was led by Mr. Tran Huy Dang (Tam Sang) - a man familiar with the flood-stricken areas of Central Vietnam.

Mr. Nguyen The Dinh flew from Ho Chi Minh City back to his hometown of Thu Bon to set up a free kitchen and personally deliver meals to each household isolated by the floods. Photo: PHAN VINH

He brought a motorboat, a pickup truck, a cargo truck, an ambulance, and plenty of protective equipment, traveling all night from Hue to Da Nang to coordinate with local rescue teams.

Prior to this, they had just completed relief efforts in Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue. “As soon as we withdrew from Quang Tri, we heard about the severe flooding in Da Nang. We only had time to refuel before heading off. We didn’t have time to rest, but everyone understood that every moment was crucial. A slight delay could have cost a life,” Mr. Dang recounted.

Volunteer groups ventured deep into flooded areas such as Dai Loc, Nong Son, and Que Phuoc, where many roads were deeply submerged, requiring vehicles to be towed across the raging floodwaters using ropes. They carried food, life jackets, and medicine, transporting people out of dangerous areas and providing assistance to single-parent families, pregnant women, and the sick. Most isolated areas were without electricity and communication, making access extremely difficult.

There are cases that Mr. Dang and his team will never forget: “There was an elderly woman living alone, blind, who didn't realize the water had flooded her house. When we broke down the door, she still thought we were strangers and refused to leave. We had to coax and persuade her for a long time before she would move. There were also cases of childbirth and patients being rescued in time and taken to the hospital. Just seeing them safe and hearing their sighs of relief, we knew our efforts were not in vain.”

Love for my homeland

While rescue forces are straining themselves in dangerous areas, in lower regions, ordinary citizens, businesses, and community associations are also quietly getting involved.

In Thu Bon commune, a small house at the Kiem Lam intersection has become a free kitchen, where people pick vegetables, cook, pack meals, and row boats to deliver food. The kitchen was set up in just one hour after the idea was conceived by Nguyen The Dinh, a native of Thu Bon currently living in Ho Chi Minh City.

On the afternoon of October 28th, as the floodwaters rose, Mr. Dinh immediately booked a flight back to his hometown. The next morning, he and more than 60 local residents cooked nearly 3,000 servings of Quang noodles, then used canoes and small boats to transport them to isolated areas.

“There were families who went without food for days on end, having to collect rainwater to drink. When we paddled in, carrying boxes of hot instant noodles, many people burst into tears. Seeing that, we just had to keep going, go deeper, and find a way to reach wherever there were people,” Dinh said.

During those same days, the Da Nang City Women Entrepreneurs Club urgently mobilized nearly 200 million VND, distributing nearly 1,000 gift packages containing food, bottled water, and essential items to people in Dien Ban, Go Noi, Duy Nghia, Tra My communes and Huong Tra Dong ward.

Far away, the Da Nang City Association in Ho Chi Minh City also launched a fundraising program to support flood relief efforts, coordinating with the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Da Nang City to deliver gifts to those in need.

Mr. Le Hung, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Hometown Association, said: "Quang Nam province is always in the hearts of every person living far from home. It is in times of hardship that we truly see the bonds and solidarity among fellow countrymen. We only hope to be able to help in some way, so that our homeland can soon stabilize."

Da Nang, amidst the devastating floods, was not alone, for somewhere, there were always kind hearts sharing the burden, helping to keep this city standing strong in the face of adversity through kindness, responsibility, and genuine human compassion.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/cung-da-nang-ganh-gong-3308935.html