The government leader made the request during his inspection of the flood situation in Con Cuong commune, Nghe An province.
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Lt. Gen. Ha Tho Binh and his entourage inspect and direct the rescue effort in Nghe An province. |
Troops from agencies and units are working closely with functional forces to cordon off dangerous areas and implement appropriate response measures. Once floodwater recedes and transportation is restored, Military Region 4 will reinforce manpower and equipment to assist residents in recovering, resuming production, and stabilizing their lives.
Troops withdraw only when residents stabilize life
During the night of July 22 and early morning of July 23, floodwaters rose so rapidly that residents in western Nghe An villages had no time to react. In communes such as Muong Xen, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Nhon Mai, and My Ly, waters submerged entire areas, isolating hundreds of households and sweeping away houses. National Highway 7A, which connects the lowlands to western communes of Nghe An province, was cut off.
In response, regular troops, militia and self-defense forces, and local rescue teams sent personnel to evacuate residents and their property from low-lying, riverside areas to safe places.
Inspecting and directing flood response efforts in Con Cuong commune, Lieutenant General Ha Tho Binh, Commander of Military Region 4, ordered units to urgently coordinate with local functional agencies to ensure transportation safety, focus on landslide remediation, and reopen blocked routes, especially Highway 7A.
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Troops from the Command of Defensive Area Region 5 – Anh Son under the Nghe An provincial Military Command assist residents in crossing flooded sites. |
Units were asked to mobilize the maximum of troops and vehicles to reach flood-hit areas, provide food, drinking water, and essential supplies, ensuring no one was left hungry, thirsty, or in danger. “Wherever the water recedes, troops will help residents recover. Only when residents’ lives are stabilized, will the troops withdraw,” affirmed Gen. Binh.
The Nghe An provincial Military Command sent 80 troops, two specialized boats, and 90 mobile militia members to support residents along National Highway 7A from Con Cuong to Muong Xen communes, where 23 flooded places and multiple landslides were recorded, with initial recovery and relocation to safety.
Colonel Tran Van Hung, head of the Command of Defensive Area Region 5 – Anh Son said three boats and eight troops stayed on duty to give timely assistance. During the day, the unit transported several people, including one emergency patient and one undergoing dialysis treatment, across flooded areas to hospital.
Saving residents from dangers
On the night of July 22, Vi Van Hieu, head of the Muong Xen Commune Military Command, led a task force to key locations for rescue operations. During the mission, he spotted five residents trapped inside a house surrounded by strong currents. In the emergency, he tied a rope around himself and had his comrades secure it before swimming toward the stranded residents. After coordinating with his team to bring the five people to safety, Hieu was injured by a sharp object piercing his leg. However, after bandaging the wound, he continued assisting people through the next day.
Floods in My Ly commune were even more devastating. After the terrifying night, waters began to recede, leaving only a few houses standing there. Both troops and residents were in shock, unable to describe the destruction.
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Troops help residents in Muong Xen commune overcome aftermath of floods. |
Major Phan Duc Tam, Political Officer of My Ly Border Post, said that the historic flood caused extremely heavy damage, and it will take a long time and great effort to recover. Fortunately, thanks to timely evacuation, casualties were minimized.
The Ban Ve Hydropower reservoir basin witnessed an exceptionally large flood. By 2 a.m. on July 23, floodwater into the reservoir peaked at 12,800 cubic meters per second, forcing large-scale discharge that rapidly raised water levels in the Nam Non River and its tributaries, submerging and cutting off numerous downstream communes including Muong Xen, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Nhon Mai, and My Ly. This was an exceptional flood, exceeding the design check flood of Ban Ve Hydropower (10,500 cubic meters per second).
The Command of Military Region 4 mobilized more than 3,000 officers and soldiers and militia troops to flood sites to assist residents. They also provided residents with essential supplies.
Translated by Song Anh