Warm hearts and courage shine in floods

On the morning of November 21, in the heavily flooded areas in Tay Nha Trang Ward and Nha Trang Ward, the rescue operations were still urgently underway. Thousands of residents were rescued from isolated areas as floodwaters surged, while rescuers grew exhausted after hours of relentless effort. Makeshift aid locations were set up on 23-10 Street to deliver food, drinking water, dry clothes and medical care for affected residents. In times of struggle, rescue and support efforts are invaluable acts of humanity.

Soldier Tran Thanh Phat (front) used a boat to help a child out of a flooded area.

Selflessly saving others

On the morning of November 21, 23/10 Street at kilometer 5 was still waist-deep. Military forces, police, militia, and volunteer rescue teams were still racing against time to save residents trapped in deeply inundated areas. Carrying a 4-year-old child from Phu Trung Hamlet on 23/10 Street out of a flooded area, soldier Tran Thanh Phat of Commando Brigade 5 handed the child over to his mother in a moment of overwhelming joy.  

Receiving her child from soldier Tran Thanh Phat, Nguyen Thi Phuong Lien (Phu Trung Hamlet, Tay Nha Trang Ward) held her child tightly with happy tears streaming down her face, while her eyes still revealed deep worry for other family members still trapped. “Three adults and one child in my family have been rescued. But three more adults remain in the flooded area. I’m praying for them,” she said.

The soldiers of Commando Brigade 5 join the flood rescue.

People helped escape from the danger.

Once the child was safely with his mother, Tran Thanh Phat sat on a roadside chair that had drifted in the floodwaters, resting alongside fellow soldiers Nguyen Ngoc My and Nguyen Anh Tuan. Though only in their first year of service, the three have already displayed the courage and resilience, braving hardship and danger to protect the lives of local residents.

Talking about the bandaged wound on his thigh, soldier Nguyen Ngoc My said, “It’s just a small injury I got early this morning while helping rescue three family members from a house that was nearly underwater.’ His college, Nguyen Anh Tuan, recalled, “We were rowing a boat through a narrow alley, calling out loudly, ‘Rescue team’ when suddenly, we heard cries for help coming from a house. We immediately jumped from the boat and dove inside. The water had risen to within about 20cm from the ceiling, and inside, three people were clinging desperately to it, exhausted. We reassured them, put life jackets on, and brought them out to safety.”

Warm hearts

“From Kilometer 5 to the Ngoc Hoi intersection, thousands of residents rescued from the danger zone waded through floodwaters, exhausted after days in the water, toward makeshift aid stations.” At the relief location, hot porridge, bread, milk, water, and dry clothes are available, provided by local authorities and volunteers, giving them strength and comfort. Those who were ill or weak were quickly taken to medical facilities.

People were carried through deeply flooded roads.

Nguyen Van Trung, his wife and children get boxes of hot porridge.

Receiving a hot bowl of porridge, Nguyen Van Trung, with his family members, who had gone two days without food, said, “This is surely the most delicious food I’ve ever had.” Similarly, Nguyen Thi Phuong Lien, with her parents and young child, was given food, water and dry clothes. The support proved invaluable in such hardship.

Present at the scene to oversee rescue and relief efforts, Tran Xuan Tay, Chairman of the Nha Trang Ward People’s Committee, said that operations are still underway to ensure safety while also reinforcing food supplies and medical support to safeguard residents’ health.

People choose dry clothes in a relief location.

People receive food and drinks from volunteers.

T.A

Translated by N.T