Basket boats become "lifelines" amidst floods.

During the recent heavy rains and flooding in Khanh Hoa province, the sight of small boats transporting people out of flooded areas to safety, and then returning to deliver food and water, became familiar and represented hope for many people in the flooded regions.

Effective relief forces

Following a local appeal, fishermen in Ba Ha 2 residential area voluntarily mobilized their basket boats to be ready to rescue people in the flooded areas.

In recent days, from early morning, the Ba Ha 2 residential area has been bustling with the sounds of people, trucks, and the scraping of ropes used to tie fishing boats against the cold, wet road. More than 100 fishermen and divers – accustomed to the rough seas – have now become a volunteer rescue force, coordinating seamlessly to reach deeply flooded areas in the villages of Ninh Da, Ninh Phu, Ninh Dong, Ninh Phung, Ninh Giang, and others.

On November 20th and 21st, the coracle boat force divided into several teams, tasked with transporting essential supplies, evacuating people from isolated areas, and opening supply routes for the functional forces... The teams were clearly assigned: the Ba Ha 2 team supported the Gia My and Ninh An areas; the Thuy Dam team supplied supplies to Ha Lien; and the Ngan Ha team went to Ninh Giang...

Nguyen Van Thach (24 years old), from My Luong residential area, was tying the ropes securing his basket while saying, "We're fishermen, we're used to hard work. When we know people are trapped, we immediately call each other to gather; we'd rush over even without being called." When asked how many people he had rescued in the past two days, he shook his head and smiled, saying, "So many, I can't remember them all; as soon as we get people to safety, we quickly move on to help in other places."

People were approached by boats and rescued from the deeply flooded area.

The relentless rain caused the water to rise rapidly, isolating many households in the small hamlet. As the small boats navigated through the raging currents, joy and emotion were evident on the faces of the residents. In many cases, people were swept away by the flood, but were fortunate to be rescued by these men; otherwise, a terrible tragedy would have occurred. Mrs. Tu, a resident of Ninh Phu who was rescued from the deep water by a small boat on the morning of November 21st, still looked distraught and emotional as she shared: “The water reached my bed, everything was water all around, there was no way out. Seeing the men in their boats come to rescue me, I honestly wanted to cry!”

Pham Van Thanh, a young diver from Ba Ha 2 residential area, shared: "It's really tiring, but when I think about the many children and elderly people waiting for me out there, I forget everything. Saving lives makes me happy."

All for the safety of the people.

Ms. Le Hoai Mi, head of the Ba Ha 2 residential group and the person who initiated the movement to mobilize rescue boats, said: “I just posted in the residential group's Zalo group that many households and residents are being flooded, and anyone with a boat, who knows how to swim, and is healthy should gather at the residential group's cultural center to help. Less than an hour after the announcement, dozens of fishermen brought their boats, ropes, and life jackets to the gathering point. Many even drove trucks to help transport supplies… Seeing that spirit, I was truly moved.”

"The crew at sea are used to facing rough seas, so wading through water to rescue people is nothing to them. The most valuable thing is that everyone does it with a sincere heart - no one accepts a single penny of support, and some even buy their own raincoats and fuel," she added.

Thanks to the proactive efforts of the neighborhood group leader and the enthusiastic and strong support of the fishermen, the basket boat team of Ba Ha 2 neighborhood quickly became the core of many subsequent rescue basket boat teams, spreading into a movement in neighboring coastal villages.

Mr. Tran Minh Dung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Ninh Hoa Ward, said: "In addition to the regular functional forces, the motorized fishing boats have become the 'spearhead' in rescue efforts in recent days. In deep water and strong currents, the skills of the fishermen are a huge advantage. They dare to go into places where larger vessels cannot reach. The government highly appreciates this spirit of mutual support, solidarity, and courage."

Fishermen loaded their basket boats onto trucks and transported them to the flooded areas to provide relief to the people.

Not only in Dong Ninh Hoa ward, but along the entire coastal strip of Khanh Hoa province – from Ninh Thuy, Ninh Hai, Ninh Loc to Van Thanh, Van Gia, Cam Binh, Vinh Hai, Phuoc Dinh – teams of basket boats from coastal villages are simultaneously setting out to help people in flooded areas. These simple basket boats, once a means of daily livelihood, have become rescue and relief vehicles during the floods. Boat trips carrying people out of dangerous areas; boxes of rice, packets of instant noodles, bottles of water delivered to people at night… all create a beautiful picture of human kindness, courage, compassion, and a constant readiness to serve the community amidst the fierce floods of Khanh Hoa's coastal region.

YOUTH

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/xa-hoi/202511/thuyen-thung-hoa-phao-cuu-sinh-giua-lu-0a1561f/