Adapt to avoid being passive in the face of natural disasters

Having suffered the severe impacts of major storms - Yagi (2024) and Matmo (storm No. 11) for two consecutive years, Thai Nguyen people have gradually developed the ability to "live with floods". Each storm that passes through leaves behind damage, but also comes with valuable lessons, helping the community know how to cope with natural disasters.

Households, organizations, and businesses are still focusing on overcoming the consequences of the floods.

More than 10 days have passed since the floodwaters receded after Typhoon No. 11, and many households in communes and wards across the province are still busy cleaning up and repairing the damage. For many, the memories of these two typhoons will surely remain deeply etched in their minds.

Ms. Giang Thi Kim Quy, Party Secretary and Head of Residential Group 90, Phan Dinh Phung Ward, shared: "At over 60 years old, I've never witnessed such devastating floods as these past two years. Previously, when building our house, we planned for rising river levels and constructed it on stilts. But unexpectedly, the water rose to over 3 meters, damaging even the furniture on the first floor that had been elevated. Given this situation, the leaders of Residential Group 90 are considering equipping the group with boats and rafts to proactively provide rescue and support to residents when flooding occurs."

Mr. Duong Quy Minh, a resident of the neighborhood, recounted his experience of "preventing flooding according to the worst-case scenario": After Typhoon Yagi , and then Typhoon No. 11, anticipating rising water levels, I moved essential items and clothes to a higher house across the street for safekeeping. Unexpectedly, the water rose too quickly, and the house where I stored my belongings was also flooded. Next time, I will closely monitor flood warnings to be proactive from an early stage.

Given the increasingly evident extreme weather patterns, many families are choosing to adapt "from the ground up": changing the structure of their homes, organizing their living spaces, elevating their belongings, and selecting items suitable for potential flooding conditions.

Because they proactively moved all their daily activities to the second floor, Mr. Dam Duy Hai's family in Phan Dinh Phung ward suffered negligible damage from the floods.

Mr. Dam Duy Hai, from Phan Dinh Phung ward, said: "My house is near the end of the old drainage system of Thai Nguyen City, so it's frequently flooded. In 2024, Typhoon Yagi flooded my house by more than 1 meter, damaging many belongings despite all our efforts to elevate them. Last June, we invested 300 million VND to build a second floor using a prefabricated system, moving the living room, two bedrooms, and kitchen upstairs. The first floor only holds a few sets of tables and chairs and easily movable items. Thanks to that, during Typhoon No. 11, only a water pump and a few books were damaged."

Unlike Mr. Dam Duy Hai, Ms. Dang Thi Le Thuy, of KT Xanh Co., Ltd., whose house and office are nearby, recounted: "Last year, my house was flooded to about 1 meter; this year, I thought it would only be 1.5 meters at most, so I had my employees move furniture and documents to a height of 2 meters. Unexpectedly, the water rose to over 3 meters. After this, we decided to build an attic and move the entire office to a higher level."

Buying furniture made from materials other than wood is becoming a popular choice for many people.

Not only has the construction aspect changed, but people are also adjusting the usage aspect. Instead of engineered wood products that are easily damaged when submerged in water, consumer trends are shifting towards tables, chairs, beds, and cabinets made of natural wood (solid wood), iron, stainless steel, plastic, or glass to increase durability in humid and waterlogged environments.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tu, owner of Tu Tam Furniture store, noted: "In recent days, customers have tended to choose items that are 'suitable for flood conditions.' Plywood is still being bought by some people because of its aesthetics and reasonable price, but the majority have leaned towards natural wood, glass tables, etc."

Mr. Nguyen Van Nang (Group 8, Quan Trieu Ward), a customer at Tu Tam Furniture Store, analyzed the damage he suffered: "All the plywood cabinets and tables in my house were ruined after this flood. I decided to buy a glass TV stand and plastic cabinets so that if there's another flood, I can still use them even after soaking them for a few days."

Having weathered the floods, people are learning to live more safely and proactively in the face of natural disasters. Even small adjustments in house design, space organization, and choice of materials will add up to create a "soft shield" for each individual, each family, and the entire community.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202510/thich-ung-de-khong-bi-dong-truoc-thien-tai-acf7d42/