The area was devastated, with rocks and large logs scattered across the landscape. More than 10 hectares of ripe rice fields along both sides of the Pung stream were completely buried. Three houses in the village were destroyed by floodwaters, and many valuable assets, such as ploughs and rice harvesters, were swept away. Numerous electric poles were knocked down, resulting in power outages and communication disruptions, among other issues.
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Hanh Dich Border Station presents gifts to affected households. |
According to elderly villagers, this was the first time such a massive flash flood had occurred in the locality. Fortunately, no lives were lost. Standing near the site where his house had been swept away, Ha Van Thuong from Long Thang village shared emotionally that on that night, heavy rain lasted for hours. While he and his wife were at home, they suddenly heard loud noises coming from upstream on the Pung stream. Realizing a flash flood was approaching, they quickly ran outside to higher ground, shouting to warn others. Luckily, other households also managed to evacuate in time, so there were no casualties.
The flash flood-hit area is about 18 kilometers from Hanh Dich commune’s center, located in a mountainous region with many scattered households. Upon learning about the prolonged heavy rain, the Hanh Dich commune Military Command and the Hanh Dich Border Station coordinated with local authorities to encourage people to evacuate from high-risk areas.
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Troops help people find belongings swept away or buried by the flood. |
According to Lo Van Quy, Head of the Hanh Dich commune Military Command, on the night of May 28, the command and other forces formed small teams to go door-to-door along the Pung stream to encourage residents to move to safer locations. Thanks to the timely response of local forces, residents were able to act proactively and avoid loss of life. In the following days, militia and border guard forces remained on-site to help clear rocks and trees, repair damaged homes, recover buried belongings, and restore affected crops.
On May 29, Hanh Dich Border Station mobilized 20 officers and soldiers to the scene to coordinate with local authorities in assisting flood-hit residents. The unit allocated funds to provide instant noodles, rice, and clean water to affected households while working with other agencies to develop plans for overcoming the flood’s aftermath and stabilizing daily life.
On the same day, the Que Phong District People’s Committee sent a delegation led by Vice Chairman Bui Van Hien to assess the situation and propose long-term recovery measures for the affected community.
Currently, relief and recovery efforts are being urgently carried out. Local forces continue to support residents in cleaning up debris, reinforcing temporary shelters, and resuming agricultural activities, contributing to the restoration of normal life following the disaster.
Translated by Quynh Oanh