A safe and warm "common roof" for people in the flood zone

Community cultural houses
steady in the midst of raging waters

Prolonged heavy rains caused Ke Go Lake to increase its overflow discharge, causing many residential areas in the downstream to be deeply submerged in water. When the flood rose, traffic routes were cut off, many households in Cam Due and Cam Binh communes ( Ha Tinh ) were supported by the government to relocate to sturdy community cultural houses amidst the raging water.

On the morning of November 2, floodwaters in Cam Due commune had receded by about 20 cm compared to yesterday, but many areas were still deeply flooded, the deepest being over 1.7 m. Along the road to the commune center, the fields were covered in water; in many low-lying areas, floodwaters had reached the first floor. Small boats became the only means of transportation, while people were busy transporting belongings and food to shelters.

Thong Nhat village cultural house is where dozens of households brought their vehicles to avoid damage and some people took shelter because their houses were deeply flooded.

At the Thong Nhat village cultural house, where dozens of households brought their vehicles to avoid damage and some people took shelter because their houses were deeply flooded, the atmosphere was cramped but warm with human affection. In the spacious room with a high floor, people spread blankets and made temporary meals with a mini gas stove. Hot bowls of instant noodles and boxed meals delivered by the relief team were divided equally among each person. The chirping of children and the chatter of adults, asking each other questions, created a warm atmosphere in the midst of stormy days.

"My house was flooded up to the roof, and there were only two people in the house, a mother and her child, and an elderly grandmother, so it was very difficult to manage. All of our belongings were soaked and damaged, but luckily the authorities and rescue forces brought us here early so we were safe. At the cultural house, there were blankets, instant noodles, and clean water; people encouraged and shared with each other, so we were less worried and no longer panicked like when the water first rose," said Ms. Doan Thi Thanh, Thong Nhat village (Cam Due commune).

Ms. Doan Thi Thanh feels secure taking shelter from floods at the community cultural house.

In addition to the police force, militia and youth union on duty 24/7, the commune also arranged a team to cook, collect waste and distribute clean water. During the rainy and flood days, the cultural house became a connecting center, both a shelter and a place to receive and distribute relief goods.

About 5 km away, in Cam Binh commune, floodwaters were still about 1.2-1.5m deep in many places, especially An Viet village - the lowest area in the commune. The road to the village disappeared under the muddy water. At the village community cultural house, the authorities arranged the second floor as a shelter for households that were deeply flooded and had no place to live.

An Viet village is still flooded, people have to move by personal boat.

"The water level in An Viet village is up to 1.2 meters in some places. The boats and motorboats of the rescue team and the people take turns carrying necessities, food and the elderly to the village's cultural house for temporary shelter," said Mr. Pham Viet Dinh, head of An Viet village.

It is known that from the evening of October 30, when the water began to rise rapidly, the Cam Binh commune government mobilized militia, police and youth union forces to each household to assist in evacuation. 5 households in An Viet village, mainly elderly people living alone, women and children, were brought to the second floor of the village cultural house to take shelter. Inside, blankets, instant noodles, drinking water and a makeshift gas stove were prepared. The commune's organizations also took turns cooking rice and distributing hot porridge, ensuring everyone had a full meal during the cold, rainy days.

Local authorities regularly pay attention to and support shelters so that people can live safely.

“The floodwaters were immense, and all I could see was the whiteness of the water and sky. Luckily, the government sent a boat to pick me up in time. Now I am both safe and secure here. At the community cultural house, everything is taken care of, from sleeping places, blankets, to meals and drinking water. The villagers gathered around to cook and chat. The children also had books and comics to read to relieve their boredom,” said Ms. Ngo Chuyen, a resident of An Viet village, emotionally.

Outside, police and youths were still busy transporting necessities into the cultural house. In another corner, authorities were on duty 24/7, monitoring the water level, ready to evacuate more people if the flood continued to rise. The lower floor of the cultural house was used to store belongings and motorbikes, while the upper floor was neatly arranged for people to rest.

Currently, there are many volunteer groups coming from provinces and cities, community cultural houses can become transit points for relief goods.

Not only shelters, cultural houses can also become transit points for relief goods. Bags of rice, boxes of noodles, drinking water, life jackets, and medicines are gathered here and distributed to isolated households. Since the morning of November 2, many relief groups from Hanoi, Bac Giang , Nghe An... have arrived promptly, bringing hundreds of gifts, helping people overcome the most difficult period.

Mr. Dang Van Thai - Chairman of Cam Binh Commune People's Committee said: "Following the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, the locality has proactively prepared facilities and essential necessities at community cultural houses. In addition, we have arranged motorboats and canoes in flood-prone areas to promptly support and evacuate people when needed."

The flood situation in the downstream area of Ke Go Lake remains complicated.

The system of community cultural houses in Ha Tinh is being built to show clear effectiveness in preventing and combating natural disasters. Not only are they places for cultural activities, these solid structures have also become "fortresses" to protect people's safety when floods come.

During the flood, amidst the sound of pouring water and cold wind, the lights in the community cultural house, where people in the downstream of Ke Go lake temporarily took shelter, shared meals and words of encouragement, were still lit. It was not only a place to avoid the flood, but also a spirit of solidarity, kindness and the belief that, after the flood, they would stand up together and rebuild their lives...