Hoi An comes back to life after storm and flood, bustling to welcome tourists back

(Dan Tri) - After the storm and flood, Hoi An ancient town gradually revived in the new sunshine. People were busy clearing mud, drying clothes, and repairing boats; tourists returned to visit, the atmosphere of the ancient town was bustling after many days of being submerged in floodwaters.

After storm No. 13 passed, from this morning (November 7), Hoi An Ancient Town ( Da Nang City) welcomed sunshine again after many days of being submerged in floodwaters. The receding water left the streets covered in mud, with traces of mud still clinging to the walls, wooden doors, and steps. People and traders were busy cleaning up, drying their goods, washing tables and chairs, and reopening their doors to welcome customers.

Currently, only a few houses along Bach Dang Street are still submerged in water, with the foundations and porches deeply flooded.

Hoi An residents simultaneously brought out tables, chairs, clothes, and other items to dry on their porches. Many businesses took the opportunity to wash walls, wipe off mud, and clean up their shops to reopen soon. On the central streets, the cleaning atmosphere was urgent, mixed with the sound of pumps and continuous water flushing.

In front of her house on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Ms. Le Thi Dong (64 years old) and two employees were busy doing laundry and cleaning dozens of mannequins after many days of floodwaters.

On the evening of October 26, the water from the Hoai River rose rapidly, and by midnight it had overflowed the threshold and poured into the house. Alone in the dark, Mrs. Dong struggled to manage, placing the goods high up while shivering from the cold water up to her thighs. Unable to react in time, she had to call her daughter who lived far away to ask for help on social media. At midnight, thanks to a few people who knew about her situation, she was able to move the goods to the second floor. The next afternoon, the first floor was flooded, and mud covered the entire house.

“At that time, I was helpless, looking at hundreds of clothes and piles of mannequins floating in the flood water without knowing what to do,” Ms. Dong said.

For three days now, Mrs. Dong has not stopped working. Soaked clothes and accessories have been washed, and mud stains still remain on the mannequins. “Now we only have the energy to clean up, and then we can think about reopening,” Mrs. Dong shared.

The back of Mrs. Dong's house faces the Hoai River, where the water is still reaching the door.

On the banks of the Hoai River, dozens of motor boats had to call technicians to fix their chargers due to being submerged in water for too long during the flood days.

This afternoon, when the weather cleared up, a large number of domestic and international tourists returned to Hoi An ancient town. On central streets such as Nguyen Thai Hoc and Tran Phu, many tourists were walking, taking photos, and shopping.

Amidst the busy cleaning, tourists are still busy sightseeing and eating. The tourist life is back to life after many days of interruption due to storms.

Ms. Kieu Thuong and Phuong Hoa, owners of a restaurant on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, said that after many years of living with the flood season, they learned the hard way that they must clean up the mud as soon as the water recedes, because the mud is still wet and easier to scrape and collect.

“During the recent flood, the water level rose twice. We had to clear the mud on October 31 and November 3. The mud was as thick as our calves, but we still had to do it because if it dried, it would be very difficult to handle. At that time, the government also sent specialized vehicles to remove the mud, so it was less difficult,” Ms. Thuong shared.

Regarding the damage to the restaurant, the two women said it was almost completely destroyed and did not dare to give a detailed estimate because the number could be too large. The restaurant is expected to reopen next Wednesday if the cleanup is complete.

Hoi An is still devastated by the storm and flood, but life has gradually revived. Trade and tourism activities have also begun to flourish again, demonstrating the perseverance and efforts of the people after the natural disaster.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/hoi-an-bung-suc-song-sau-bao-lu-nhon-nhip-don-khach-du-lich-tro-lai-20251107173322501.htm