Officers and soldiers of agencies and units are closely coordinating with functional forces to delineate dangerous areas and deploy appropriate response measures. After the flood recedes and traffic is restored, Military Region 4 will increase forces and means to help people overcome the consequences, restore production and stabilize their lives.

People stabilized their lives, the army just withdrew.

During the night of July 22 and early morning of July 23, floodwaters rose so quickly that people in the villages in western Nghe An were unable to react. Many people only had time to run to higher ground to escape, leaving behind all their property and houses. In the communes of Muong Xen, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Nhon Mai and My Ly, the water was deep, up to nearly 10m in some places, isolating hundreds of households and sweeping away their houses. National Highway 7A connecting the plains to the communes in western Nghe An was cut off. In this situation, regular troops, militia and local rescue forces deployed forces to evacuate people and property of households in low-lying areas and along rivers and streams to safety.

Lieutenant General Ha Tho Binh, Commander of Military Region 4 and the working delegation inspected and directed flood response work in Nghe An. Photo: KHANH TRINH

Directly inspecting and directing the flood response work in Con Cuong commune, Lieutenant General Ha Tho Binh, Commander of Military Region 4, requested units to urgently coordinate with local authorities to ensure traffic safety, focus on overcoming landslides, and clear routes, especially the vital National Highway 7A. Units mobilized maximum forces and means to access and support people in flooded areas; deployed the provision of food, drinking water and necessary necessities, ensuring that people do not go hungry, thirsty or fall into dangerous situations. "Where the water recedes, the army will help people overcome the situation. When people stabilize their lives, the army will withdraw," Lieutenant General Ha Tho Binh affirmed.

According to the report from the Regional Defense Command (PTKV) 4-Tuong Duong, the flood caused many communes and villages to be completely isolated, and the transportation system was paralyzed. Along National Highway 7A from Con Cuong to Muong Xen, there were 23 flooded spots and many landslides. The Military Command of Nghe An province directed the use of all local forces including 80 officers and soldiers, 2 specialized canoes and 90 mobile militia to urgently help people overcome the initial consequences and evacuate people to safety. The PTKV Command 4-Tuong Duong mobilized all forces to coordinate with local authorities to organize rescue in 3 main directions in the communes: Muong Xen, Tuong Duong and Con Cuong.

Officers and soldiers of the Defense Command of Area 5 - Anh Son (Nghe An Provincial Military Command) support people through flooded areas. Photo: KHANH TRINH
Soldiers help people in Muong Xen commune, Nghe An province overcome the consequences of the flood. Photo: HIEU AN

Lieutenant Colonel Tran Van Hung, Commander of PTKV 5-Anh Son Command (Nghe An Provincial Military Command) said: "We have mobilized 3 canoes and 8 officers and soldiers to stand guard, ensure security and safety for people and vehicles; at the same time, ready to transport emergency cases through this flooded area". During the day, the unit transported many cases, including 1 emergency case and 1 patient undergoing dialysis treatment, across the flooded area to the hospital.

Save people regardless of danger

On the night of July 22, water from the upper reaches of the Nam Mo River poured down quickly, causing deep flooding in low-lying residential areas of Muong Xen commune. Local authorities quickly changed the status and deployed to evacuate people and property to safety. Comrade Vi Van Hieu, Commander of the Military Command of Muong Xen commune, led a working group to key areas to carry out rescue missions. While commanding the task force, Mr. Hieu discovered 5 people trapped in a house in the middle of a raging stream. In an emergency, Mr. Vi Van Hieu decided to tie a rope around himself and ask his teammates for help to swim to the rescue location. After coordinating with his teammates to bring 5 people out of the dangerous area, Mr. Hieu was injured by a sharp object stabbing his leg. However, after bandaging, he continued to go with his teammates to support the people until the next day.

Not only in Muong Xen commune, the flood in My Ly commune was even more terrifying. Fortunately, the local working groups of My Ly Border Guard Station, Nghe An Provincial Border Guard Command (Nghe An Provincial Military Command) had "set up" in residential areas, together with the local authorities to organize people to evacuate to high hills before the flood swept away their houses and properties. After the terrifying night, the flood was gradually receding, many villages in My Ly border commune only had a few roofs left. From officers to people, everyone was shocked, unable to describe it all. Major Phan Duc Tam, Political Commissar of My Ly Border Guard Station, said: "The historic flood caused very heavy losses, it took a lot of time and effort to overcome. Fortunately, thanks to the determination of the local authorities and the responsibility of Uncle Ho's soldiers, the forces propagated and mobilized people to evacuate, minimizing damage to the people".

A particularly large flood occurred in the Ban Ve hydropower reservoir basin. At 2:00 a.m. on July 23, the floodwaters reaching the reservoir peaked at a flow rate of 12,800 m3/s, forcing the discharge of large volumes of water, causing the water level of the Nam Non River and its tributaries to rise rapidly, causing deep flooding and isolating many downstream areas in the communes of Muong Xen, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Nhon Mai, My Ly, etc. This was an exceptionally large flood, exceeding the frequency of flood checks (the flood check rate of the Ban Ve hydropower project is 10,500 m3/s). The Military Region 4 Command mobilized more than 3,000 officers, soldiers and militia forces to flood areas to help people. In deeply flooded areas, unit commanders used canoes and motorboats to approach and support people with necessary necessities. Regiment 335 (Division 324, Military Region 4) also mobilized 250 officers and soldiers to march to flooded areas to help people overcome the consequences of floods.

Article and photos: KHANH TRINH - VIET LAM - HOA LE

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/nuoi-duong-van-hoa-bo-doi-cu-ho/llvt-quan-khu-4-sat-canh-cung-nhan-dan-vung-lu-nghe-an-838315