The unsung hero amidst the raging flood.

Every flood season, Mr. Chien paddles his boat to help people cross the deeply flooded areas. This year, he himself braved the raging floodwaters to save five people from being swept away.

We met Mr. Tran Dinh Chien (50 years old, Truong Dinh residential area, Hai Van ward, Da Nang city) after the floodwaters had receded.

Upon arriving at the small house, the first thing that caught my eye was the almost empty living room; the walls were divided into two sections of paint: from the floor up about 1.5 meters, a lighter shade of paint, while the rest was a darker shade of blue.

Authorities in Hai Van ward have put up warning tape and barriers to prevent people from entering areas with strong, dangerous currents (Photo taken on October 28th in Truong Dinh residential area).

Mr. Chien smiled and explained: "During this season (the rainy and stormy season), every house here elevates its belongings. Almost every house has a mezzanine to store all their possessions such as tables, chairs, electronics, machinery, rice, etc., and we also sleep in the mezzanine, leaving the living room almost empty."

Pointing to the faint line where the two colors of paint meet on the wall, Mr. Chien said: " This is the mark of the historic flood of 2022. My house had a relatively high foundation, but the floodwaters still came in that year, reaching up to 1.5 meters. This year, it hasn't happened yet; it's only just reached the edge of the porch."

Looking straight ahead from the porch, you can see the shrimp pond and the vast melon field covered in muddy water. That's also where, just a few days ago, Mr. Chien braved the raging floodwaters to rescue five people.

The place where Mr. Chien rescued four people whose boat capsized on the afternoon of October 29th.

Recalling the events, Mr. Chien said that around 4 a.m. on October 28th, while dozing off, he heard cries for help. At that time, the floodwaters were rising rapidly. The road connecting Nguyen Xuan Thu (extended) to Truong Dinh residential area was flooded to a depth of more than half a meter, and the water had risen almost to the edge of his house's porch. He jumped up, waded through the water to his nephew's house in front, and heard the cries more clearly from the road. “I waded towards the source of the cries and saw someone trying to hold onto a woman and her motorbike that were about to be swept away by the flood. The young man and I worked together to pull the woman and the motorbike back up and out of the fast-flowing water,” Mr. Chien recounted, adding, “During the flood season, almost everyone sleeps restlessly because of the rapidly rising water. Luckily, the wind was favorable and there was no rain at that time, so I was able to hear and respond.”

The deep floodwaters in Truong Dinh residential area nearly swept many people away (Image taken on October 28th, when the water level was still low).

On the afternoon of October 29th, during the heaviest and longest rainfall of the recent floods, while eating dinner outside his nephew's house, Mr. Chien and his family saw figures bobbing in the fields, near where someone had been involved in an accident the night before. Putting down his half-eaten bowl of rice, Mr. Chien told his family that someone was likely in danger again. Mr. Chien said that he and his two nephews considered rowing out in a boat because the water was very high, the highest during the recent floods, the current was strong, the rain was heavy, and the wind was strong. He thought that having more than one person would allow them to handle the situation better. However, the boat was small, and three people wouldn't be able to rescue anyone. Therefore, he told his family to stay behind to keep watch while he rowed out into the water alone. “When I got there, I saw four people clinging to the lightning protection wire on the power pole, struggling against the floodwaters. Two men were standing on the bow of an overturned boat, holding onto the power pole. The two women were in more danger, so I brought them ashore first, then circled the boat around to bring the remaining two in ,” Mr. Chien recounted.

These four people were siblings and a married couple from the same family, returning home when their boat capsized due to strong floodwaters. “ Luckily, it was daytime, so we could see them clearly and quickly. If it had been nighttime, we wouldn't have been able to save them, because the rain was very heavy, the house had a corrugated iron roof, the rain was very noisy, and with strong winds, even if they cried for help, they wouldn't have been heard. The floodwater was very cold, unlike normal river water; just being immersed in it for a short time would exhaust you and force you to let go. If we had noticed them even a little later, the outcome would have been dire,” Mr. Chien said.

I exclaimed, "Aren't you afraid to go out and rescue people like that? Sometimes it's late at night, other times it's raining heavily and the water is rushing!" Mr. Chien replied succinctly, "Seeing people in distress, the natural reaction is to want to save them. Everyone would do that."

Upon further inquiry, it was revealed that every year during the rainy season, he uses his small boat to help people cross deeply flooded areas to get to work and return home. In previous years, he had also helped many people in distress on numerous occasions.

Year after year, it gradually became a habit for him to always keep an eye out towards the fields during the rainy season, as if to be prepared to help anyone in distress. " The other day, I saw three girls wading through that flooded area, but by then the water had receded below the concrete posts on the road, so they were safe," Mr. Chien told me when I mentioned that I had also come here a few days ago to report on the floods.

The People's Committee of Hai Van Ward promptly acknowledged and commended the noble, warm, and humane gesture of Mr. Tran Dinh Chien.

According to Mr. Chien, Truong Dinh residential area is located in a low-lying area, so it is flooded every rainy season, and the residents here are used to it. During the rainy season, the People's Committee of Hai Van ward (formerly Hoa Lien commune) deploys police, soldiers, and militia to set up checkpoints at dangerous flooded areas to prevent people from entering these areas. However, some residents are still careless or move recklessly, leading to accidents.

He has helped people many times, but Mr. Chien says it's just something he has to do. The new certificate of commendation from the Hai Van Ward People's Committee, awarded to him after he rescued someone, is neatly displayed in his living room. “I was surprised when I received the certificate. My niece, who works at the Women's Association of the residential area, told me that the person I rescued after the boat capsized had posted a thank-you message on Facebook. The Ward People's Committee learned about it and immediately investigated. On October 31st, Mr. Dung (Mr. Nguyen Thuc Dung, Chairman of the Hai Van Ward People's Committee) personally came to the residential area's community center to present the certificate ,” Mr. Chien shared.

Authorities in Hai Van ward assist residents in crossing deep water. (Photo taken on October 28)

As he saw us off, Mr. Chien cautioned: “The floodwaters are dangerous, so you guys working here must be careful. Just one careless mistake could cost you your life. Natural disasters spare no one. My mother also died in Typhoon Xangsane in 2006. Therefore, even though our houses are relatively sturdy now, as soon as we hear a typhoon forecast and the local authorities request evacuation, everyone voluntarily evacuates to ensure their safety.”

The road leading in and out of Truong Dinh residential area is now clear, no longer cut off by water, but sand and gravel are still scattered everywhere, and many sections of the road from the main street to people's houses are eroded and crumbling. In that place, the people remain attached to the land inherited from their ancestors, enduring seasons of great floods followed by intense heat. And in that same place, there are unsung heroes who help others, spreading the warmth of human kindness amidst the cold of the raging floodwaters.

Chairman of Hai Van Ward People's Committee Nguyen Thuc Dung: “The courageous and humane actions of Mr. Chien are highly appreciated and commended by the government and people of Hai Van. Not only did he save the lives of others, but the noble actions of unsung heroes like Mr. Chien have contributed to strongly spreading the spirit of chivalry and responsibility to the community.”

Source: https://congthuong.vn/nguoi-hung-tham-lang-giua-dong-lu-du-429217.html