Tears of Quang Ngai fishing village after storm Kalmaegi: Looking at the house with only its frame in dismay

On the morning of November 7, many households in An Ky village (Tinh Khe commune, Quang Ngai ) gradually returned home after a night of evacuation at the request of the government. But what they saw before their eyes were only ruined walls, roofs blown away by storm winds, and floors covered with sand.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoa is still in shock after her house, built just a few years ago, was destroyed by the waves . Mrs. Hoa tearfully said: "My son told me to evacuate for safety. But when I returned, the house had been destroyed. The coastal wall collapsed, water flooded in and damaged the TV and refrigerator. There were no chickens or ducks left."

Coastal fishing village in Quang Ngai devastated after storm Kalmaegi

PHOTO: NAM PHONG

Not far away, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Lam looked in amazement at the yard that had turned into a sandbank. Mr. Lam said he had never seen a tide as fierce as this one: "The waves were unusually high, the water flooded into the house half a meter deep. The sand was more than 20 cm thick, and the concrete fence was also collapsed. I have lived here all my life and this is the first time I have seen such a scene."

According to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Vuong, Chairman of Tinh Khe Commune People’s Committee, the whole commune has about 1,000 households living along the coast along a 10km stretch. The high tide combined with strong winds caused initial damage to 97 households, many of which collapsed or were severely damaged.

The commune authorities are mobilizing police, militia, and soldiers to help people clean up and temporarily stabilize their homes. Many families have had to stay at relatives' houses while the An Ky fishing village is still littered with rubble.

An Ky village beach (Tinh Khe commune) was in ruins after the storm.

PHOTO: HAI PHONG

Lifetime savings, now just ruins

In Sa Huynh Ward (Quang Ngai), landslides, high tides and big waves also caused heavy damage to people in Chau Me and Thach By areas.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Le (Chau Me residential group) said that her family stayed up all night to follow the developments but still couldn't react in time. "I was so scared. I kept going out to see and then going back in, but by morning everything was gone. The shops along the beach were destroyed, all their belongings were swept away," Ms. Le said.

Mr. Nguyen Son's family (in Thach By 2 residential group) was less fortunate. His sturdy house was gouged by large waves, almost completely destroying the seaward part.

"The sea wall is gone. Thanks to the embankment, otherwise the whole village would have been swept away," he said, his eyes still filled with shock as he looked at the house that had only its frame left. All the assets his family had saved their entire lives were now just ruins after the fierce storm...

Waves hit the frame of a restaurant at Chau Me beach (Sa Huynh ward)

PHOTO: NAM PHONG

Along the Thach By sea embankment, dozens of meters of embankment were eroded by waves. Local people said that in the past decades, high tides have occurred but never so fiercely that they directly threatened houses like this time... Looking at the houses in ruins, anyone who witnessed it could not hold back their tears of sorrow...

After storm No. 13, along many coastal villages in Quang Ngai, bricks, scraps and sand are still scattered. People have to cope with the severe consequences to stabilize their lives soon, while the risk of landslides continues to threaten if the weather worsens.

Some images recorded in coastal villages of Quang Ngai province after storm Kalmaegi (storm no. 13):