Flash Flood in Lang Nu Village: Father's Desperate Steps in Search of His Son

After the terrible flash flood in Lang Nu (Bao Yen district, Lao Cai ) on the morning of September 10, Hoang Van Thoi (33 years old) lost his mother, wife and three children. Five days after the flood, the body of Thoi's youngest son, who was only 1 year old, has not been found.

Rain or shine, Hoang Van Thoi still looks for his son. He moves along the water stream near his relative's house to find the whereabouts of his only son who is only 1 year old - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

"Since the day my mother, wife and children passed away, I have not been able to sleep. Every morning I come here to look for the body of my youngest son. He is the only one left, and has not been found yet" - Hoang Van Thoi said, choking up while digging for his son in the rubble.

After the terrible flood in Lang Nu, Hoang Van Thoi lost everything: from his mother, wife and children to two buffaloes and a few cassava and corn fields were also swept away by the flood . The haunting longing for his family made him not dare to return home but had to stay at his sister's house.

"I can't go back home now. I can't bear to see my family photos. My biggest dream now is to find my youngest son's body so he can rest in peace," Thoi said, crying.

Previously on September 9, after many days of rain and wind, the hill behind Thoi's house collapsed. Fearing for the lives of his mother, wife and children, Thoi's family moved to a relative's house for shelter. Unexpectedly, on the morning of September 10, a loud explosion was heard, floodwaters rushed down from Con Voi mountain, sweeping away the house of his relatives, killing 11 people. Thoi was lucky to escape because he returned home the night before. To date, 10 people have been found, but only Thoi's youngest son is still missing.

Every day, rain or shine, Thoi silently returns to the flash flood area in Lang Nu to look for his son with a pain that cannot be relieved.

Thoi sat absent-mindedly next to the coffins of his mother, wife and two children - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

Thoi returned home and looked at the family photos. Now, he had lost everything, from his family to his business - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

Thoi opened her daughter's school bag and took out each notebook, which were the remaining mementos of her eldest daughter - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

Every time he talks about his family, Mr. Thoi chokes up, because the pain of losing a loved one is too great - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

When the sun rose, Mr. Thoi went out to the flash flood area to look for his youngest son. That was his biggest dream at the moment - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

The distance from Thoi's house to his relative's house where the disaster occurred is about 1 km. Thoi said that right after seeing the house where his wife and children were staying collapse, he could only cry and run through the landslides to look for his mother, wife and children - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

After just one night, the entire village was wiped out. All the roofs of the houses were flattened and submerged in mud due to the flash flood. In the photo, Thoi stands alone among the ruins at the foot of Con Voi Mountain - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

Thoi used a stick to poke into the mud to find his son's body. This search area is about 50 meters from his relative's house - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

Under the huge pile of mud was once the home of 37 households with more than 100 people. Within just 2 minutes, the flash flood and landslide turned the entire village into rubble. Only a few dozen people in Lang Nu village were lucky to escape because they lived on high hillsides - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

Thoi's niece's sandals, on the morning of September 12. He also found the bodies of two nieces at this location - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

Besides Hoang Van Thoi, many people in the area are also searching for the bodies of their missing relatives - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

Thoi and the army turned over every piece of wood and bamboo to find the whereabouts of their child - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

Due to the hot weather, he sat down to rest and chat with relatives of the victims who are still missing - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

More than 500 officers and soldiers of various forces were mobilized to search and rescue the missing victims in Lang Nu village, Bao Yen district, Lao Cai province, over an area of ​​6km. Dozens of victims' bodies were discovered in the first days. However, in the following days, the number of victims found gradually decreased because they were most likely buried deep under the rubble - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

Thoi drove quickly to the scene of the flash flood when he heard that the army had found the body of a victim near where his family died. However, when he arrived, it was not his son - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

Thoi completes procedures to receive support money from local authorities for families whose people died in flash floods - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

Thoi signed the support receipt for families with deceased people in Phuc Khanh commune. He signed to acknowledge the loss of 4 people, while his youngest son is still listed as missing - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

A monk burst into tears when he heard the village chief read Thoi's name and talk about his tragic situation - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

Since the day his mother, wife and three children died, Thoi has not been able to sleep, because every time he closes his eyes, he is haunted by the terrifying flash flood - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/lu-quet-lang-nu-buoc-chan-vo-vong-cha-di-tim-con-20240914214451837.htm#content-20