Northwestern Armed Forces fight against "floods" in peacetime - Part 1: Orders from the heart

Like many other localities across the country, every time floods come, the Northwest region has to bear the loss and pain. Natural disasters strike, "wiping out" many villages, sweeping away houses and crops, causing heavy damage to the lives and property of the State and people.

Standing side by side with the Party Committee, government and ethnic people of the Northwest during those dangerous days, officers and soldiers of the Armed Forces of Military Region 2 always rushed to the "front line", "fought" in the "battle without gunfire" but full of hardships and difficulties and were ready to sacrifice for the lives of the people.

Faced with the reality of natural disasters and catastrophes in the area, agencies and units of Military Region 2 determined that the task of natural disaster prevention, search and rescue is a "combat" task in peacetime, readying forces, means, and mobility to carry out tasks when ordered. In all situations, officers and soldiers always consider the lives and property of the people as the first and foremost.

Natural hazards

Military Region 2 covers the provinces of Phu Tho, Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Son La and Dien Bien , with a total area of ​​over 69,000 km2. Of which, about 80% of the area is hills and high mountains, with a dense system of interwoven rivers and streams, making the terrain strongly fragmented, and rocks and soil are prone to landslides.

Along with that, the system of more than 1,800 large and small irrigation lakes and hydroelectric dams with large total storage capacity; large rivers with fast flow rates, many winding flow areas, easy to stagnate, potential risk of overflow, dam breakage and flooding every rainy season. Traffic routes in the Northwestern provinces basically have high slopes, unstable soil quality, when heavy rains and prolonged floods occur, landslides are likely, traffic is cut off, causing local isolation.

Large landslides on the mountain behind Hang Pu Xi village, Xa Dung commune, Dien Bien province in 2025.

That is why, for a long time now, in the North and Northwest, many villages, communes and wards have become the focus of damage from great floods and natural disasters such as: Du Tien, Du Gia (Tuyen Quang); Chu Va ( Lai Chau ) or recently Phong Chau bridge, Muong Pon, Bac Me, Lang Nu, Hang Pu Xi (Dien Bien)...

All levels and sectors are ready to receive orders.

According to Lieutenant General Pham Duc Duyen, Political Commissar of Military Region 2, in order to meet the requirements and tasks of "fighting" when there are natural disasters and catastrophes, the Military Region 2 Command has led and directed the organization to thoroughly grasp and strictly implement the resolutions, directives and conclusions of the Party, the State, the programs and plans of the Government , the National Committee for Natural Disaster Response and Search and Rescue; the Law on Civil Defense and circulars and instructions of the Central Ministries and branches; Resolution No. 689 of the Central Military Commission on the work of preventing, combating and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters, catastrophes, rescue and relief until 2020 and the following years. The Command Committees for Civil Defense - Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue at all levels are organized with the right composition, sufficient quantity, regularly improved and quality assured. Agencies, units and localities regularly organize training, practice and rescue drills at all levels, focusing on training to improve search and rescue skills in situations of building collapse, flash floods, landslides.

Major General To Quang Hanh, Deputy Chief of Staff of Military Region 2, emphasized: Over the past 10 years, Military Region 2 has coordinated and directed the organization of 1,123 drills on fire prevention and fighting, forest fires, storm and flood response, chemicals, and dams at all levels. Along with that, all types of units and localities have implemented flexible, appropriate, and effective contents and measures. Military Region 2 has directed the building of civil defense, natural disaster prevention, and search and rescue forces to ensure the performance of tasks. In particular, the Military Region regularly ensures 1 infantry regiment and 2 battalions of arms; the Military Commands of the provinces have established from 1 platoon to 1 standing company; 1 to 2 mobile militia platoons; advised the Provincial People's Committee to be ready to mobilize appropriate reserve units; established a commune-level shock force of nearly 96,000 people ready to carry out missions, following the motto "Three ready" and "Four on-the-spot". All forces, main force or local, are ready to receive orders when there is a natural disaster or catastrophe.

Along with mobilizing forces and means in emergency situations, logistics assurance work also always requires "being one step ahead". Lieutenant Colonel Vu Minh Ngoc, Deputy Head of the Quartermaster Department (Department of Logistics - Engineering of Military Region 2) shared: The agency advises, directs, inspects comprehensively and synchronously all aspects of assurance, strictly maintains the 3-level reserve regime (campaign level, division level and base unit level), with essential goods being reserved and preserved according to standards, ready for quick distribution when there is a mobilization order. The Quartermaster Department focuses on building a mobile quartermaster force, establishing shock logistics teams and teams capable of carrying camping cooking equipment, providing on-site meals for soldiers on long-term missions, in conditions of power outages, water shortages, and traffic disruptions.

Overcoming danger to rescue and search for victims

Until now, the name Lang Nu still haunts and haunts the hearts of Vietnamese people. The image of officers and soldiers of Regiment 98 and other forces overcoming the consequences of natural disasters and catastrophes in Lang Nu has left a deep impression on the people.

Officers and soldiers of Regiment 98 returned to visit the people of Lang Nu.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2025, the soldiers directly performing the task in Lang Nu were organized by the unit to visit the resettlement area. Mr. Hoang Van Diep, Head of Lang Nu village, shared: The return day of the 316 soldiers was very meaningful. The soldiers visited each family, cleaned the houses and gardens with the people, wrapped and cooked cakes to prepare for the first Tet in the new house. The return day was filled with joy, laughter and tears of happiness and gratitude from the people of Lang Nu. Many young soldiers also choked up in the arms of the people, they were filled with tears of pride because they were Uncle Ho's soldiers, children of the people.

At the 11th Military Emulation Congress held at the end of September 2025, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Ba, Commander of Regiment 98, was honored to report on the typical "battle" at Lang Nu a year ago. Memories of Lang Nu flooded back to the officers and soldiers of Division 316, and the name "Anh Ba of the battlefield" revived.

According to Major Tran Van Nguyen, Deputy Chief of Politics of Regiment 98, the eighteen and twenty year old soldiers of Regiment 98 when carrying out search and rescue missions faced extremely great challenges. The soldiers "fought" in "3 battlefields": Facing fierce nature, lurking dangers; racing against time, searching for buried victims and having to overcome physical and mental limitations. That was the brave spirit of the group of 10 soldiers who volunteered to join the "Mobile Team", directly carrying out the task of carrying the bodies and burying the victims who had spent many days immersed in mud.

Along with “Lang Nu”, in all units performing the task of preventing and fighting natural disasters, catastrophes, and search and rescue in recent years, there have been many stories about the spirit of “fighting on three battlefields” against natural disasters, catastrophes, and for the people of officers and soldiers.

The internal magazine “Memories of Nu Village” of Regiment 98 was written by the officers and soldiers who directly carried out the mission, reflecting the most realistic and vivid “battle” there. Below are some of those memories.

Captain Nguyen Huu Manh, Captain of Company 6, Battalion 8: “Along both sides of the stream, the weary eyes of the people seemed to urge us to move towards the thick “muddy river”, trying our best in the extremely arduous “battle”. We focused on searching carefully in the low-lying areas, where trees and animal carcasses were stuck. These areas also had many pieces of corrugated iron and broken glass that cut our gloves, and many comrades also had their hands and feet cut.”

Soldier Nguyen Ngoc Duc, Company 6, Battalion 8: “Even now, remembering the scene of “running from the flood”, my heart still beats fast. While on duty, suddenly from the top of the hill, the gong of the guard force rang out continuously and the people's voices said “Run, the flood is coming!”. The rushing water rushed past the place we had just searched, luckily, everyone was safe. There were two times, we narrowly escaped the “grim reaper”.

Major General Nguyen Ngoc Ngan, Deputy Chief of Political Affairs of Military Region 2: "Witnessing the devastation of natural disasters with our own eyes, we can see the extraordinary strength, will, and spirit of overcoming difficulties of the soldiers of Military Region 2. It was during the most difficult and dangerous times that officers and soldiers clearly demonstrated the bravery and noble qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers, uniting, overcoming all difficulties, and helping the people unconditionally."

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/cuoc-thi-viet-vung-buoc-duoi-co-dang/luc-luong-vu-trang-tay-bac-chien-dau-voi-giac-lu-thoi-binh-bai-1-menh-lenh-tu-trai-tim-1014263