At dawn on November 20, heavy rain combined with floodwaters surging from upstream continuously flooded Hoa Thinh, Tay Hoa, Hoa My, Hoa Xuan communes, and Dong Hoa and Hoa Hiep wards in Dak Lak province.
At 5:30 p.m. on November 20, aboard Vietjet Air’s flight VJ433 which was about to land in Gia Lai province’s Phu Cat Airport, the flooded landscape below with rivers, canals, and roads all blurred into a single sheet of water could be seen.
    |
 |
|
Troops of Division 31 under Army Corps 34 rescue residents in flooded Quy Nhon Dong ward, Gia Lai province. |
According to the driver, Non-commissioned Major Dinh Thanh Hoa from the Division of Political Affairs under the Gia Lai Provincial Military Command, “This area is very high, but it was flooded over the past few days. The water only receded earlier this afternoon.” He shared that he has lived in Quy Nhon for 50 years and has never seen flooding as devastating as this year.
The driver recalled that two weeks ago, when Storm Kalmaegi was approaching Gia Lai, troops urged residents in dangerous areas to evacuate, but some hesitated. By 3 a.m., they were calling for help. “Thankfully, our troops arrived in time to get them to safety,” he said.
In a small shop in Quy Nhon Dong ward, resident Le Thi Nghia shared that her family stayed on the second floor with no electricity, no water for days. “When the water finally receded this afternoon, I came here to pick up some essentials. During the worst moments, soldiers and other forces brought us supplies several times. They also evacuated many households from dangerous areas to safety,” Nghia said.
At the Provincial Military Command’s headquarters, we met Thai Dai Ngoc, Secretary of the Gia Lai Provincial Party Committee, who had just returned from inspections. Wearing a pith helmet and raincoat, he said “Days of heavy, continuous rain have caused widespread flooding, isolated many areas, and triggered landslides in mountainous districts. Twenty three locations in nine communes and wards are severely flooded. A total of 19,200 households with more than 71,000 residents are inundated or isolated.”
According to Secretary Ngoc, provincial leaders instructed local authorities to closely monitor warnings, flood forecasts, and reservoir operations; absolutely prevent evacuated residents from returning home until conditions are safe; and ensure no one goes hungry or cold.
|
|
 |
|
Artillery Brigade 572 under Military Region 5 evacuate residents in Tuy An Bac commune, Dak Lak province to safety. |
At 8 p.m. on November 20, Senior Colonel Nguyen The Vinh, Commanding Officer of the Gia Lai Provincial Military Command, revealed that nearly 2,500 troops and militia, 84 vehicles including armored vehicles, trucks, boats, and rescue craft had been mobilized throughout the day. They evacuated nearly 5,500 households with almost 10,000 residents and carried out 1,148 emergency rescues. Rapid-response teams also delivered food and supplies to affected families, distributed 350 aid packages, and received relief donations from 11 organizations and individuals for local distribution.
Despite efforts to elevate belongings and move livestock to higher ground, tens of thousands of residents in Dak Lak province were caught off guard by the rapid rise of floodwaters. In life-threatening situations, many climbed onto roofs, removing tiles to escape the water, calling and messaging rescue forces for help.
Upon receiving distress calls from the “flood centers” of Dong Xuan, Tuy Hoa (Dak Lak province) and other areas, thousands of troops from Division 2, Division 305, the Defensive Area Command 6-Tuy Hoa under the Dak Lak Provincial Military Command, Brigade 682 of Naval Region 4, Regiment 910 (Air Force Officer Candidate School), and military units stationed locally quickly rushed to these localities in multiple directions to rescue civilians.
|
|
 |
|
Military Region 5 forces deliver food and supplies to flood-affected residents in Dak Lak province. |
In the first trips, troops prioritized elderly residents, children, and pregnant women trapped by the rising water, relocating them to sturdy, multi-story houses for safety.
Aboard a rescue boat, 83-year-old Nguyen Nhu Binh from Phu Ha 1 commune said, “I have never seen Phu Ha 1 flooded this deep. Within just two hours, my house was completely submerged. Luckily, the soldiers (from Regiment 584 of the Dak Lak Provincial Military Command) arrived in time to save me.”
By 9 p.m. on November 20, although floodwaters had begun to recede slowly, rescue forces from Military Region 5, Dak Lak province, and local military units continued combing affected areas, broadcasting warnings, and working determinedly to evacuate every remaining resident from danger.
Translated by Mai Huong