Flooding in Quy Nhon, people stay up all night to escape the flood

The flood happened so quickly that people couldn't react in time.

Heavy rain that lasted throughout the night of November 18 and early morning of November 19 caused flooding to cover the entire downstream area of the Ha Thanh and Kon rivers.

Thousands of households in Quy Nhon, Quy Nhon Dong, Quy Nhon Bac, Quy Nhon Tay wards (old Quy Nhon City) and Tuy Phuoc, Tuy Phuoc Dong, Tuy Phuoc Tay communes... (old Tuy Phuoc District) had their houses flooded, many places were completely isolated.

Long Van residential area (Quy Nhon Bac Ward, Gia Lai ) is deeply flooded.

PHOTO: TRAN TAM

Many areas in Long Van (Quy Nhon Bac Ward), Cho Dinh (Quy Nhon Dong Ward)... were deeply flooded, exceeding the flood peak of 2009. Many houses were flooded more than 2 meters deep. The water rose so quickly that people had no time to react.

In Quy Nhon Bac Ward, floodwaters rose rapidly, submerging many residential areas. Mr. Nguyen Thai Dien, Chairman of Quy Nhon Bac Ward People's Committee, said: "On the evening of November 18, the Ha Thanh River water poured in, flooding all neighborhoods. Dao Tan and Hung Vuong streets were the most flooded. About 10,000 households were flooded, and the ward evacuated more than 3,000 households. We also evacuated nearly 40 households in the Hon Cha mountain area at risk of landslides."

Many houses in the old Quy Nhon city area were flooded more than 2 meters deep.

PHOTO: TRAN TAM

Landslides appeared in Quy Nhon Nam Ward. Mr. Dang Manh Cuong, Secretary of the Ward Party Committee, said that on the night of November 18, the locality evacuated 42 households with 148 people. A total of 9 landslides appeared, all households in the dangerous area were asked to evacuate immediately that night.

Support people overnight

Faced with serious flooding , military, police and militia forces were mobilized to prioritize rescuing people isolated in low-lying areas.

A representative of the Gia Lai Provincial Military Command said the unit has mobilized officers, soldiers, armored vehicles, canoes, and specialized transport vehicles to overcome floods to rescue people.

Quy Nhon Dong Ward flooded in the early morning of November 19

PHOTO: TRAN TAM

The Director of Gia Lai Provincial Police deployed 11 shock platoons with 534 officers and soldiers to deeply flooded areas on the night of November 18 to support people. The police force supported raising properties, evacuating people from dangerous areas and coordinated with local police to evacuate thousands of households in Tuy Phuoc Dong commune and An Nhon Nam ward. Fire prevention and rescue police were reinforced in Quy Nhon Bac ward to access deeply flooded houses.

At around 10pm on November 18, while on duty to evacuate people, Tuy Phuoc Commune Police received an urgent report from Ms. D.TMT (in Van Hoi 2 village) that the water had risen to the attic floor, with elderly people and children in the house. Immediately, the police force crossed the raging water, mobilizing all means to approach. After nearly 1 hour of struggling with the flood, the police brought Ms. T.'s family to safety.

Gia Lai Provincial Police mobilized forces to help people on the night of November 18.

PHOTO: GIA LAI POLICE

Police evacuated an elderly person to safety.

PHOTO: GIA LAI POLICE

As of the morning of November 19, many areas downstream of the Ha Thanh and Kon rivers were still deeply flooded, cutting off traffic. Rescue teams continued to check each residential area, helping to evacuate trapped people.