Floods in the Central region exceeded the historical milestone of 1964. Police crossed forests and floods to save people.

Amidst the historic flood that submerged the Central provinces, the police force has been struggling to take on a “dual” task: bravely trekking through forests, overcoming floods to rescue and supply food in the “flood center” area, while also disregarding the danger of landslides in the dark of night to rescue trapped people, while maintaining security and order. The image of local police steadfastly sticking to their bases and helping people during the past few days of floods has clearly depicted the spirit of dedication and multitasking, becoming the most solid support for people in times of trouble.

The historic floods that have lasted for a long time and exceeded historical flood levels in the Central provinces and cities in recent days are not only a fierce challenge of nature but also a test of the courage and multi-tasking ability of the police force in general.

In Da Nang City, amid historic floods causing widespread inundation in low-lying plains and landslides and flash floods occurring everywhere in the mountainous areas west of the city, the police force has steadfastly stuck to its position, ready to rush into the sea of ​​water and landslide sites to rescue people.

In the mountainous commune of Tra Tan, as reported by CAND Newspaper, on the evening of October 29, the commune's Medical Station 2 received 5 people, including 3 seriously injured by landslides and fallen trees who needed to be transferred to higher levels for emergency treatment. In extremely difficult conditions due to power outages, damaged roads, and many sections of the route being cut off, transporting 3 seriously ill patients to higher levels was a very difficult problem.

Mr. Le Minh Chien, Chairman of Tra Tan Commune People's Committee, said that after discussing and asking for opinions from the Forward Command Board of Military Region 5 and the Civil Defense Board of Region 3, at 7:00 p.m. on October 29, the Commune's Civil Defense Board discussed and agreed on a plan to move 3 victims of landslides causing severe traumatic brain injuries with poor prognosis who were receiving first aid at Tra Tan Commune Health Station (base 2) by carrying them by road through landslides on National Highway 40B to the Bac Tra My Regional Medical Center for emergency treatment, a distance of nearly 10km.

An unexpected situation was that Tra Tan Commune Health Station, Facility 2, only had large oxygen tanks and no portable oxygen tanks. Therefore, the Tra Tan Commune Emergency Response Committee contacted and requested the Bac Tra My Regional Health Center to support portable oxygen tanks. At more than 20:30, the ambulance of the Bac Tra My Regional Health Center brought the oxygen tanks.

To implement the plan, the Tra Tan Commune Disaster Prevention and Control Board decided to send an advance team consisting of 8 officers, soldiers of the Commune Police, militia, medical staff and the Commune Youth Union carrying oxygen tanks to survey the entire route from Thang Phuong village (Tra Tan Commune People's Committee headquarters) to the Commune Health Station. The advance team departed at 9:05 p.m. amid anxiety and tension of all forces participating in the task. At 10:30 p.m., the advance team arrived at Tra Tan Commune Health Station, Base 2, to provide oxygen to patients requiring oxygen.

The biggest difficulty during the process of transporting the 3 patients to the emergency room was that the area was without electricity, the phone signal and wifi were unstable, making it almost impossible to contact. After discussing and agreeing, the advance team, along with more than 20 officers and soldiers of the Commune Police, the local security force, and the commune militia who were on duty in the villages of the old Tra Giac commune, formed the first transport team. At 22:50, the first team departed from Tra Tan Commune Health Center, Base 2, with 3 hammocks carrying 3 seriously injured victims towards the Bac Tra My Regional Health Center.

During the journey, the delegation passed more than 10 serious landslides, knee-deep mud, and many sections had to move close to the edge of deep abysses in heavy rain, with rocks and soil from the positive slopes that could fall down at any time. After receiving the signal from the first delegation, the second delegation departed from the headquarters of the People's Committee of Tra Tan commune with more than 30 police officers, officials and militia, passing 3 serious landslides and buried roads. At 0:45 a.m. on October 30, the two delegations met.

“The total distance traveled by the task force was more than 20km in the dark, heavy rain, and the risk of landslides was always lurking. Despite the extremely harsh and dangerous conditions, with the spirit of determination, solidarity, and not giving up hope of rescuing people, even the faintest, the Tra Tan commune disaster relief force completed the task at 1:30 a.m. on October 30, bringing 3 patients to the Bac Tra My Regional Medical Center and ensuring absolute safety for the victims as well as the task force,” Mr. Chien shared.

The event that the forces, in the dark of night, with no electricity, crossed more than 20km of landslide road to save the lives of 3 patients seriously injured by landslide is not only rescue news, but also an epic of bravery and responsibility towards the people.

The journey through the night, lasting for many hours, facing the risk of landslides that could strike at any time, is not a simple duty, but a boundless sacrifice. This action has reaffirmed once again: The grassroots cadres, the police force, and the militia are the most solid support, the closest people to the people in times of trouble.

Medical team at Bac Tra My Regional Medical Center examines patients.

Tra Tan commune leaders visited and encouraged relatives of patients at Bac Tra My Regional Medical Center.

Meanwhile, in Thuong Duc, a low-lying commune, considered the "flood center", it has also become the focus of life-and-death rescue campaigns during this historic flood. Typically, at 3:00 p.m. on October 29, when floodwaters began to show signs of rising dangerously again, Thuong Duc Commune Police activated a plan to approach and rescue 10 households in Truc Ha village who were completely isolated on their rooftops, while also supplying instant noodles, clean water, and necessities to 44 households in Truc Ha village, ensuring minimal living conditions while waiting for the water to recede.

“Less than half an hour after we returned to the headquarters, we received news that dozens of people were asking for help because the floodwaters were rising rapidly. Without any hesitation, we mobilized all means of transport, including motorboats and boats, to do our best to rescue 32 households and 59 people in Trung Dao and Truc Ha villages, and at the same time carried out the “4 on-site” work to serve the people at safe residential areas,” said Lieutenant Colonel Huynh Anh Vien, Chief of Thuong Duc Commune Police.

Not stopping there, at around 5:30 p.m. the same day, the Thuong Duc Commune Police deployed another rescue operation, bringing 18 households and 37 people in isolated, deep flooded areas to a completely safe place. Although at this time, the Thuong Duc Commune Police headquarters was also flooded with nearly 1 meter of water, the Commune Police leaders still created conditions and arranged food and accommodation for dozens of people on the second floor of the headquarters.

Thuong Duc commune police overcome floods to rescue people.

Many people after being rescued from low-lying areas were taken to Thuong Duc Commune Police headquarters to rest.

If Thuong Duc is the "flood center", in the mountainous commune of Phuoc Nang, the police force faces the challenge of both responding to floods and localized flooding, and handling the risk of serious landslides. During this flood, Phuoc Nang Commune Police quickly demonstrated their multi-tasking and flexibility. In parallel with helping local people respond to floods and landslides, the commune police force urgently moved to the Ho Chi Minh road in the Lo Xo pass area, where hundreds of vehicles with nearly 400 people have been trapped for many days due to landslides occurring in many locations.

Faced with the above situation, in addition to coordinating with the Traffic Police force to regulate and guide vehicles to park safely, Phuoc Nang Commune Police also ensure security and order and call on benefactors to support food and drinking water for people stranded in the Lo Xo Pass area.

Phuoc Nang Commune Police gave necessities to people trapped in Lo Xo Pass area due to landslides.

“Providing necessities, drinking water, warm clothes, blankets... to support people trapped in the Lo Xo Pass area is very difficult because this area has many landslides stretching along a nearly 10km long road. The Commune Police force has participated in many times to support people with some initial necessities (instant noodles, candy, drinking water...) and is continuing to mobilize more support, while ensuring the safety of participating forces, vehicles, rescuers and isolated people”, shared Lieutenant Colonel Phan Minh Ngoc, Deputy Chief of Phuoc Nang Commune Police.

The courageous, responsible and persistent actions of the grassroots police force, including the Phuoc Nang and Thuong Duc commune police, are typical representatives of the spirit of "Forgetting oneself for the country, serving the people" of the Da Nang police force.

Not only are they law enforcement officers, the police officers on the front lines responding to natural disasters are also rescuers, food suppliers, and indispensable spiritual support for the people. Their multi-tasking, flexibility and silent sacrifice are the “steel shield” protecting the lives and property of the people, writing beautiful and admirable pages in the fight against historical natural disasters in the city on the Han River.

According to information from the Central Hydrometeorological Station, the water level at 1:00 a.m. on October 30 on rivers in Da Nang such as Vu Gia, Thu Bon, Han, and Tam Ky all exceeded alarm level 3, of which Thu Bon River at Cau Lau was at 5.61m - 1.61m above alarm level 3, 0.13m higher than the historic flood of 1964.

In the next 6-12 hours, the flood on the upper Vu Gia - Thu Bon River will continue to slowly recede, the lower river will peak and recede slowly, the Tam Ky River will peak and recede slowly. The flood peak on the Thu Bon River at Cau Lau will reach 5.65-5.7m - 1.65-1.7m above BĐ 3, 0.17-0.22m higher than the historical flood (5.48m - 1964), in Hoi An it will reach 3.45-3.5m - 1.45-1.5m above BĐ 3, 0.05-0.1m higher than the historical flood (3.4m - 1964), the Han River at Cam Le will reach 3.4m - 0.9m above BĐ 3, the Tam Ky River will be above BĐ 3.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/doi-song/lu-tai-mien-trung-vuot-moc-lich-su-nam-1964-cong-an-bang-rung-vuot-lu-cuu-dan-i786347/