In Lung Cu commune, the northernmost point of Vietnam, the devastating natural disaster in September 2025 left devastating consequences. In Ma Lau A village, six houses were completely destroyed, and 65 houses were located in areas at high risk of landslides. Mr. Giang Mi Dinh's family was one of those who lost all their possessions after the horrific night of heavy rain and flooding. Fortunately, there were no casualties. Immediately after the disaster, his family received timely support from the local government and philanthropists to rebuild a new, more solid and safer house for eight people, while still preserving the traditional rammed earth architecture of the Mong ethnic group.
In his new house, still smelling of cement, Mr. Giang Mi Dinh emotionally shared: “In generations living here, we’ve never seen such a devastating landslide. All our life's savings were lost in a single night. Now that we have a new house in a safe place, my family can rest assured and focus on our work and stable lives.” In addition to focusing on mitigating the consequences, Lung Cu commune also proactively reviewed and encouraged households in high-risk areas to relocate to safer places before the rainy season.
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| The local forces in Minh Son commune are proactively monitoring the area and are ready to respond to any situation. |
The family of Mr. Giàng Mí Thùng, one of 65 households in the high-risk area, has now moved to a new home. In their newly completed house, villagers are still assisting the family with the construction of auxiliary structures. Mr. Giàng Mí Thùng shared: “My wife and I are old and frail, and our children and grandchildren work far away. Before, we couldn't sleep every night because of the worry of landslides during heavy rains. Now that we have a sturdy house in a safe place, that worry has lessened considerably.”
Alongside ensuring residential safety, Lung Cu commune is paying special attention to strengthening transportation infrastructure in landslide-prone areas to facilitate rescue and relief efforts. The road from Ma So village through Ma Lau A village to Ma Lau B village, which has three landslide points, is currently being rebuilt and upgraded to a mountainous Class 5 road, expected to be completed before this year's rainy season. To complete the road, residents have voluntarily donated over 6,000 square meters of land. According to the Secretary of the Lung Cu Commune Party Committee, Duong Ngoc Duc : “Ensuring transportation not only facilitates travel and trade for the people, but most importantly, it serves rescue and relief efforts quickly and effectively, helping us to take the initiative when natural disasters occur.”
After listening to the propaganda and mobilization efforts, the people understood and agreed to support the initiative.” The “4-on-the-spot” strategy: According to forecasts, the 2026 rainy and stormy season will continue to be complex due to the impact of climate change, with extreme weather phenomena tending to increase in both frequency and intensity. The Provincial Civil Defense Command has developed a disaster response plan for 2026, clearly identifying key areas and response plans for each risk level.
The province has 50 communes at high risk of storms and tornadoes; 52 communes at high risk of flooding; 53 communes at risk of flash floods and landslides; 76 communes and wards at high risk of landslides; and 3 communes with vulnerable dikes and embankments. Proactive measures taken early on, starting from the grassroots level, are helping localities gradually minimize damage and improve their ability to adapt to specific natural disasters such as hailstorms and tornadoes. Therefore, localities throughout the province have been implementing many key solutions: strengthening early forecasting, enhancing warning information, posting danger signs, and proactively deploying forces according to the "four on-the-spot" principle. Along with this, priority is given to investing in and reinforcing critical infrastructure, and preparing plans for relocating residents to minimize damage caused by natural disasters.
Deputy Commander of the Minh Son Commune Military Command, Captain Hoang Bien Thuy, emphasized: “The commune's military forces always coordinate closely with mass organizations to prepare equipment and supplies for deployment to the villages. When a situation arises, we ensure immediate presence to provide timely rescue and response at the grassroots level.” When each citizen is equipped with knowledge and skills, proactively identifies risks, and participates in the prevention process, the resilience of the community will be enhanced. Along with the synchronized efforts of the government, relevant agencies, and businesses, Tuyen Quang is gradually building a “shield” from the grassroots level, protecting the lives and property of the people from the increasingly significant challenges of climate change.
According to Tran Tuan Anh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Me commune, "The propaganda work has been intensified in a specific and easy-to-implement manner, focusing on guiding people to reinforce their houses, secure roofs, and proactively prune trees at risk of falling before the storm arrives." In each highland village today, the most noticeable thing is the proactive spirit of the people. The synchronized involvement of the entire political system and the self-protection awareness of the community are gradually creating a solid "shield" against natural disasters, contributing to stabilizing lives and ensuring the safety of the people during the rainy and stormy season.
Text and photos: Phi Anh
Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/xa-hoi/202606/khong-bi-dong-truoc-thien-tai-a4b163d/
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