Efforts to restore power and water supply

The weather has been chilly these past few days, and in the houses in the flooded areas, there is the hum of the refrigerator, the sound of the water pump, the sound of the television... Ms. Nguyen Thi Giang (Tan Phu Street, Tay Nha Trang Ward) smiled with satisfaction as she watched her two young daughters being bathed and washed, their hair still slightly damp. The rice cooker was steaming steadily in the kitchen corner. Clear water flowed from the tap into the kettle. Everything had begun to return to its normal rhythm. "With electricity and water, everything is fine" - Ms. Giang thought to herself. Returning people's lives to normal was the result of the tireless efforts of hundreds of electricity and water supply workers.

Repairing the power grid after floods.

Working through the night to provide power as soon as possible

When the floodwaters receded, they left behind mud and rubbish. The areas of the communes and wards: Dien Dien, Dien Khanh, Tay Nha Trang were dirty and damp. Lack of electricity not only affected daily life, but also made it difficult to overcome. Mr. Phan Nam Chung - Deputy Head of the Nha Trang Central Electricity Management Team said: "The order of the electricity industry is to restore electricity to important loads such as: Medical stations, schools and especially water plants at all costs. Therefore, to provide electricity as soon as possible to people in flooded areas, the team sent 100 officers, engineers and technicians of the electricity industry to the areas immediately after the water receded. They worked all night, in the rain and mud to repair the network. Every area with electricity restored was a cheer from the people."

The journey to restore the power grid is a race against time. The flood has toppled dozens of power poles, severed cables and submerged hundreds of distribution transformer stations; the damage to the electricity sector is enormous. The floods have affected 1,270 transformer stations, serving 97,469 customers, accounting for more than 21% of the total number of electricity customers in the province.

Although the pressure to restore power soon, the power must not be turned on hastily. Safety must be the top priority when turning on the power. Mr. Phan Nam Chung clearly remembers the feeling of walking in the slippery, muddy mud, having to use his bare hands to scratch and search for the locations of the joints and equipment submerged in water. To restore power, the power workers must clean each insulator and each cable end of the transformer stations. If there is even a small grain of mud left, the risk of electric discharge and explosion will be very high when the power is turned back on. This requires meticulousness and almost absolute patience. In addition, many households have their home electrical systems submerged in water, with pumps, fans, and sockets flickering. Therefore, the power industry must instruct hundreds of households to turn off the main circuit breaker to check the safety equipment before turning on the power.

Re-erecting fallen electric poles in Dien Khanh area.

Mr. Nguyen Hai Duc - General Director of Khanh Hoa Electricity Joint Stock Company affirmed: "Up to now, the entire flooded area has been supplied with stable and safe electricity, ensuring the life of the people. The efforts of the electricians are not only a simple task but also an act of sharing and accompanying the people to overcome difficulties and soon stabilize their lives. Completing a large volume of construction in the flooded area in a short time is a testament to the spirit of determination. We are committed to continuing to mobilize maximum human resources and means, closely following the scene and deploying timely technical solutions, ensuring the stable and safe operation of the power system, serving the life and production of the people".

Quickly provide clean water

In recent days, Khanh Hoa Water Supply and Drainage Joint Stock Company has mobilized all its forces to urgently fix the problem so that the pumping stations and the Vo Canh and Xuan Phong Water Plants (which supply clean water to most of the people in Nha Trang and Dien Khanh areas) can operate again. Mr. Nguyen Hong Son - Deputy General Director of Khanh Hoa Water Supply and Drainage Joint Stock Company said: "To supply water as soon as possible, the company has mobilized all its forces. Workers have to use high-pressure water hoses to wash away dozens of tons of mud stuck on the centrifugal pumps and settling tanks. Just one grain of sand can cause serious damage. This work lasts all day and night, in a humid environment."

Floodwater increases turbidity and carries many bacteria. This is the biggest threat after a natural disaster. Therefore, the technical team must continuously take samples and increase disinfection to ensure that the water source does not affect people's health. However, the biggest pressure is to meet the people's increased water demand. When the water plants started operating, almost all people simultaneously turned on their taps to wash away mud and clean their houses. The amount of water consumed increased dramatically, many times more than normal, causing a pressure drop, leaving downstream areas without water. People questioned, and the government urged to put pressure on water supply companies.

Implement power supply in flooded areas.

Mr. Nguyen Van Dam - General Director of Khanh Hoa Water Supply and Drainage Joint Stock Company shared: "Immediately after the water receded, we mobilized maximum human resources to fix the problem and restore water supply to the people. However, water supply is different from electricity supply. If the electricity is on, everyone will have electricity, but if the water supply is at full capacity, it will still be in the order of nearby areas first, far away areas later. Some areas such as apartment buildings, due to the tank system not being cleaned in time, have lost water for many days. With all efforts, by November 27, Khanh Hoa Water Supply and Drainage Joint Stock Company had provided enough water to all flooded residential areas. At this time, the company supplies from 130,000 to 150,000m3 ^of water to 170,000 customers every day. The company is committed to ensuring a stable water source for people's daily life, production and business after the flood."

Currently, in the communes and wards of Dien Khanh, Dien Dien, Tay Nha Trang and Bac Nha Trang, the restoration of electricity and water supply has been basically completed, although the repair and upgrading of infrastructure systems is still ongoing. Having electricity and water helps schools, medical stations and production facilities quickly resume operations, contributing to the synchronous economic and social reconstruction.