People in a commune in central Quang Binh Province felt doleful to see their houses swept away or ruined by the recent flooding.
By October 12, all three thousands residents of Tan Hoa Commune, Minh Hoa District had returned home from stone caves inside of mountains, where they had to live for a week to steer clear from the deadly floods. However, many of them witnessed their damaged houses filled with mud and residue from flood waters.
The locals lived like primitive people after coming back from mountainous shelters
Dinh Hong Ho, Vice Chairman of Minh Hoa District People’s Committee said, “The locals are in need of everything for the basic necessities of survival. Tan Hoa now looks as if it is in the stone age.”
Nearly all of the commune was soaked underwater due to the torrential rains, excluding part of Ri Ri Village. The foods went away, leaving 50 houses completely destroyed, 650 seriously damaged and many others covered with mud at hight of 70-80cm.
No cows, pigs or chickens can be seen in the commune which is a model for poultry breeding in the poverty-stricken district, instead their are only rotting dead bodies of animals.
Dinh Thi Hoa, who has lived in this commune for 65 years, said in a deep sadness that, “My house has become a wood pile on thin mud. How will my six-member family live?”
Young volunteers from the province along with policemen and soldiers have cleared mud since October 10, helping local people to stabilise their life.
“Due to the big workload, we may spend another two or three days to finish it. After that we will be able to help children to return schools,” Cao Thanh Binh, the commune’s party secretary shared. Like many other residents in Tan Hoa Commune, Binh has just left the caves for his house severely damaged by the deluge."
The water went down and relief such as instant noodles, rice and milk has been brought to Tan Hoa. However, the amount is still modest against demand of 3,000 needy people who also suffer from illnesses.
The environmental pollution as a result of mud, dead bodies of animals and clean water shortage has led to skin and eye related diseases and acute diarrhea in the commune. During the flood days, hundreds of local people were taken to the district’s general hospital for medical treatment.
| According to a report released on October 11 by the Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control, the recent flood has claimed 66 lives and 75 injuries in the central Vietnam. It has also caused 17 missing people with most of them being fishermen. Total losses are estimated at VND2.56 trillion (USD131.28 million). Quang Binh was the hardeslt-hit with the loss of VND1.3 trillion. |
Old people and children look at what’s left of their houses
Many local houses were ruined or filled with mud. Soldiers, policemen and volunteers have assisted the locals to stablise their life.
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