Community spirit and neighborly affection
In the early morning of October 23rd, floodwaters from upstream, combined with high tides and local rain, caused a sudden rise in water levels, submerging a 5,000m² section of the dike protecting Mr. Nguyen Thanh Sang's jackfruit orchard (in Nhon Ninh commune, Tay Ninh province). Upon hearing the news, neighbors rushed to the scene to inquire about the situation and offer assistance. However, despite their best efforts, Mr. Sang's orchard was destroyed. The fish in his pond were saved thanks to the help of kind neighbors. Mr. Sang choked up, saying, "This flood season, my family lost nearly 200 million VND and all the effort we put into caring for the trees. I never imagined the flood would be this high, so I didn't have any early flood prevention measures. Luckily, thanks to the support of neighbors and relatives, my family was able to reduce some of the losses."
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Sang's jackfruit orchard is submerged in water.
These days, whenever there's news of a dike breach or collapse, people drop everything to join hands in repairing the damage. Furthermore, residents in vulnerable dike areas are willing to "sacrifice" their family's fruit trees to protect the common good, because for them, sacrificing personal gain is essential. Mr. Dang Van Tinh (from Nhon Ninh commune) shared: "This morning, when I heard that this dike was breached, I dropped everything, didn't even have time for breakfast, and rushed to help the men fill the dike with earth. Everyone here is like that, ready to 'sacrifice' their crops and fruit trees to reinforce the dike. We must do it for the common good!"
United in overcoming difficulties
Every evening, many elderly farmers in the area gather at the house of the head of Go Noi hamlet, Nhon Hoa Lap commune, to discuss inspecting and reinforcing the dike to protect their crops and property. They then take turns inspecting it at night – the time when the water level is highest. They go to each vulnerable point, stopping at any location they feel is dangerous, where water could leak into the fields or where the dike might break. They inspect the area together and find ways to fix the problem. Not only do they rely on resources and funding from the local government, but many elderly farmers also contribute materials to overcome difficulties together. Thanks to this, when the dike in Go Noi hamlet broke, the elderly farmers promptly notified the local authorities and mobilized forces to repair the dike. In a short time, the dike was completely repaired, protecting over 30 hectares of newly sown winter-spring rice. Mr. Phan Van Khai (residing in Go Noi hamlet, Nhon Hoa Lap commune) said: “In the past few days, the floodwaters have risen too quickly. The villagers have divided up to inspect the dikes to promptly address any incidents. We are determined to protect the dikes in Go Noi hamlet. My family even contributed mangrove stakes to reinforce the weak dikes. Hopefully, the floodwaters won't rise any higher, and the people can protect their production areas.”
These past few days, whenever people hear news of a dike breach or overflow, they drop everything and join hands to fix the problem.
The floods in the Mekong Delta are gentle, unlike the flash floods in the North and Central regions. The flood season usually lasts from August to November, with water rising gradually along the river, bringing silt and aquatic life to the delta. Floods help to replenish rice fields, wash away acidity, and provide freshwater aquatic resources for the people. However, in recent years, due to the impact of hydroelectric dams, tidal surges, and climate change, floods are no longer stable, silt levels have decreased, and aquatic life has declined, sometimes causing damage to farmers' property and crops.
Militia forces join hands to reinforce the dike.
Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Dinh Thi Phuong Khanh, said: “When the incident occurred, people voluntarily contributed money and labor to work together with the local government to reinforce and protect the production area. We believe that without the joint efforts and solidarity of the people, the potential damage would have been even greater. In the coming time, we hope that people will continue to work with the local government to strengthen inspections to protect crops and production areas. The Department is currently classifying, compiling, assessing, and reviewing the damages to provide timely support. Regarding the infrastructure system, the Provincial People's Committee has also directed implementation according to the principle of "the State and the People working together."
Le Ngoc - Vinh Hung
Source: https://baolongan.vn/nghia-tinh-mua-lu-a205288.html
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