Canoe trips across the flood

Engineer Brigade 270 supplies food to support people in flood-hit areas of Da Nang .

After nearly a week of working hard to help people in the midst of the raging waters, the officers and soldiers of Division 315, Engineer Brigade 270, Armored Brigade 574, Signal Brigade 575 (Military Region 5) and the Military Command of Da Nang City and the Military Command of Quang Ngai Province could not remember how many people they directly rescued, how many buffaloes, cows, chickens, pigs, and valuable assets of the people were brought to high, safe places.

The unit, which is stationed on the Central strip of land, "blocking storms in the morning and blocking the sun and fire in the afternoon", is already familiar with extreme weather phenomena, but this historic flood still haunts them - the experienced soldiers. From the mountains to the midlands, plains, and coasts, tens of thousands of houses were submerged by floodwaters; national highways, provincial roads, inter-village and inter-commune roads leading to the western highlands continuously experienced landslides, flash floods, and flash floods, cutting off traffic, isolating villages and hamlets, causing heavy damage to the people.

Engineer Brigade 270 supplies food to help flood victims in Da Nang.

In the dark and dangerous night, hundreds of elderly people suffered from strokes and fevers, and dozens of pregnant women were trapped in flooded houses, and were rescued by soldiers and brought to the hospital safely. Many families whose relatives unfortunately drowned or died during the flood were also supported with thoughtful and dedicated burials by soldiers of the Army, Police, and militia.

On the morning of October 30, receiving information that in Dai Loc commune (Da Nang) there was a patient with a high fever, convulsions, and a life-threatening risk, the rescue canoe crew of the 270th Engineer Brigade immediately set out for the flooded area. After nearly 3 hours of continuously fighting against the strong, horizontal currents, at around 9 a.m., the soldiers were able to take the patient to the hospital for examination and treatment.

Gifts full of meaning

No electricity, no water, food reserves are gradually depleted, this is the common situation of thousands of people at the flood peak in the Central region after many days of struggling to cope with natural disasters. Sharing the difficulties and shortages of the people, from October 28 until now, implementing the direction of the head of the Military Region 5 Command, agencies and units have coordinated with local Party committees, authorities, and charity groups to organize dozens of field kitchens, every day processing, packaging, and transporting nearly 3,000 free meals to supply people in isolated and deeply flooded areas in the communes of Hoa Tien, Tra Tan, Tra My, Nam Tra My, Duy Xuyen, Dien Ban Tay... (Da Nang).

On the canoes and motorboats entering the flooded areas, in addition to cooked rice, boiled water, bread, boiled eggs, soldiers and militia also prepared cough medicine, cold medicine, skin medicine, diarrhea medicine, power banks, diapers... to deliver to each person. When returning, they prioritized taking the elderly, children, pregnant women, and sick people to the evacuation site so that the unit's medical staff could examine and support them.

Soldiers of Military Region 5 cook rice to serve people in flood-affected areas.

Implementing the direction of the Ministry of National Defense , on the morning of October 30, the Department of Rescue (General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army) coordinated with the Air Defense - Air Force to transport 5 tons of dry food from Gia Lam airport to Da Nang to provide relief to people in provinces and cities in the Central region that are heavily affected by natural disasters and floods.

From 6 a.m., under the drizzling rain, officers of Air Force Brigade 918 were present at the airport, urgently checking preparations, loading and unloading goods, ready to depart to carry out the mission according to the orders of their superiors.

The soldiers transferred dry food from the plane to trucks to transport to flood-affected areas to supply people.

At exactly 8:15 a.m., the Casa jet aircraft with registration number 8902, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Dac Quang, Deputy Squadron Leader and Chief of Staff of Squadron 1, officially took off from the runway. Around noon, when the plane landed at Da Nang airport, all the goods were transported to the assembly area by officers and soldiers of Military Region 5 and the Air Defense - Air Force. That same afternoon, most of the goods were delivered by soldiers to flood-affected people in Da Nang city, Hue and Quang Ngai.

“Central region, stay strong. People, stay strong”, amidst the immense sea of ​​water, relief packages, care, sharing and words of encouragement were sincerely sent to the people by the soldiers.

Put aside personal feelings to take care of people's affairs

The family lives in the flood-prone area, his wife is about to give birth, but with the sense of responsibility of a soldier in the face of storms, floods, and natural disasters, Captain Nguyen Manh Thang, Captain of Company 10, Battalion 4, Engineer Brigade 270, is always on duty with his comrades in Dai Loc commune, Da Nang city, commanding the rescue force and evacuating people. Before his good deeds, the Party Committee, unit commander and local military agency where his family lives regularly care, encourage and support him so that he can work with peace of mind and save people.

In the midst of the tense moments in the raging water, on the night of October 29, he received good news from the rear when his wife gave birth to their second son at Minh Thien General Hospital. On the rescue canoe swaying and bobbing along the floodwaters, everyone, including his comrades, was happy at the simple happiness of the engineer soldier with a gentle smile, tanned skin, always enthusiastic and eager for the people.

Women of the 270th Engineering Brigade visited and encouraged the wife of Captain Nguyen Manh Thang.

On the morning of October 30, authorized by the unit's leaders and commanders, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thi Huong, President of the Women's Union of Brigade 270 and Major Doan Thi Kim Cuc, Vice President of the Women's Union of Brigade 270 visited, presented gifts and encouraged the family of comrade Nguyen Manh Thang at the hospital. The small gifts and sincere congratulations contained great sentiments - a show of gratitude and sharing with the strong rear of the engineer soldiers who are working day and night on the front line to help people overcome the floods.

With the concern and sharing of people across the country, the enthusiastic support and assistance of local Party committees, authorities, and armed forces officers and soldiers, along with the spirit of community solidarity and strong development, the people of the Central region are struggling to overcome the most difficult and challenging period of this historic flood.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/nuoi-duong-van-hoa-bo-doi-cu-ho/trong-hoan-nan-cang-gang-suc-giup-dan-vung-lu-975317