The power to overcome natural disasters

Storm No. 3 (YAGI), accompanied by historic floods, has caused heavy losses in human lives and property in the North, including Phu Tho province. Storm and flood response work has been deployed drastically, promptly mobilizing the entire political system and people to join hands, creating the power to overcome natural disasters.

Army forces help people clean up mud after floods in Zone 8, Ha Hoa town, Ha Hoa district.

The entire political system is involved

Due to the impact of Storm No. 3, Phu Tho province from September 7-11 had heavy rain, very heavy rain in many places; floods from upstream combined with hydroelectric reservoirs releasing floodwaters caused the water level of rivers in the province to rise rapidly. Notably, at 5:00 p.m. on September 10, the water level of the Thao River in Am Thuong, Ha Hoa district, was 2.72 m above alert level III and 1.4 m above the historical flood in 1971. Floodwaters rose rapidly, forcing thousands of households in the province to evacuate immediately; water flooded into houses and damaged many properties.

Strictly implementing the direction of the Provincial Party Secretary, the entire political system of the province, the Army, Police, and rescue forces of the province have made efforts day and night, racing every hour to support and help people in flooded areas. To ensure the safety of people’s lives and properties, the whole province has evacuated more than 7,000 households from flooded areas to safe places and, at the same time, supported people in evacuating their belongings and properties. Ha Hoa district alone has evacuated more than 4,000 households to safe places.

Comrade Le Dang Hung, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hien Luong commune, Ha Hoa district, said: "The whole commune has more than 800 households in 5 residential areas that had to be evacuated during the recent flood. The functional forces coordinated with local authorities and residential areas to mobilize human resources, use boats and canoes to go to each alley, and check each household in the flood zone to support the transportation of people and property out of the danger zone. At this time, many businesses and philanthropists have connected with the commune to support people in flooded areas with essential goods and necessities, ensuring their lives. For areas where the water has receded, the commune coordinated with functional forces to mobilize equipment, vehicles, and machinery to participate in cleaning up houses, surrounding environments, livestock barns, etc. to ensure early stabilization of life and production.”.

Before storm No. 3 and continuously during the rainy and flooded days, the Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee issued many urgent telegrams, requesting all levels and sectors to strictly implement the government’s direction on responding to and overcoming the consequences of storms and floods, effectively implementing the “4 on-site” motto. Thanks to that, food and medicine for the people were ensured; no one lacked shelter, hunger, a cold, or other necessary items.

Immediately after the Phong Chau bridge collapse, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Quang Phuong, and leaders of Military Region 2 were present at the scene with leaders of Phu Tho province to direct and mobilize forces and means to carry out search and rescue work, treat the injured, and visit and encourage the victims; direct the implementation of immediate measures to overcome the incident and long-term solutions to ensure traffic safety;

In particular, on September 12, General Secretary-President To Lam and the Central Working Group inspected the work of preventing and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters and floods and visited and encouraged people in the flood-hit areas of Phu Tho province.

With a proactive spirit and drastic and urgent direction, the provincial leaders, leaders of sectors, and localities were present every minute and every hour at the “hot spots” to direct, inspect, and urge; encourage the forces on duty, especially at vulnerable points; share and direct timely support for people in severely affected areas. The entire political system was mobilized to join in overcoming the consequences of the historic flood.

Forces prepare support goods for people in Tu Hiep commune, Ha Hoa district.

Mobilizing all forces, joining hands and hearts

With the motto “4 on-site” and the principle “Human life is above all” the provincial police force mobilized nearly 7,500 officers and soldiers; the provincial military command mobilized more than 850 officers and soldiers and more than 13,600 militia and self-defense forces; and Military Region 2 supported and supported 645 people with many means and supplies. Districts, cities, and towns mobilized 100% of the forces of the PCTT&TKCN Steering Committee at district and commune levels, along with the disaster prevention and control shock forces and local people to participate in responding to and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters.

Lieutenant Colonel Dong Van Hung, Deputy Chief of Political Affairs of Division 316, Military Region 2, said: "To support people in overcoming the consequences after the storm, Division 316 mobilized 300 officers and soldiers to be present in the areas where the water receded to clean up mud and waste and support the arrangement of furniture, cleaning houses, etc. to help people stabilize their lives soon.".

The electricity sector has also promptly overcome and repaired and has basically completed the electrical system incidents. In Ha Hoa district alone, there are 4 transformer stations that have not been energized due to flooding (with more than 700 households without electricity). The transport sector has organized traffic diversion and urgently repaired and overcome traffic incidents, creating favorable conditions for people’s travel. Medical facilities in areas affected by natural disasters and floods are still operating 100% to ensure the people’s medical examination and treatment needs...

With the spirit of “Where there is a need, there are young people—Where there is difficulty, there are young people,” immediately after the natural disaster occurred, the green volunteer color was present in all localities where natural disasters and floods occurred, along with forces participating in overcoming the consequences of storms and floods.

It is touching that while the functional agencies and organizations of the province are making efforts to support people in storm and flood areas, people across the country also have many support activities towards the people of the Ancestral Land. Equipment and supplies for rescue work such as boats, canoes, rechargeable lamps, life jackets, etc. are continuously provided by volunteers in many places so that the rescue forces can rescue as many people as possible. The provincial Fatherland Front has received over VND50 billion in support from organizations and individuals (of which the Vietnam Fatherland Front has supported VND30 billion) to promptly support localities affected by natural disasters to stabilize their lives. The provincial Red Cross has guided over 60 volunteer groups to provide direct support in flooded areas, with a total relief support value of over VND3 billion. The association has received goods and necessities including banh chung, instant noodles, rice, milk, water, ham, sausage, dry food... worth VND1.68 billion; the cash received is VND411.2 million. The spirit of solidarity, compatriotism, and mutual love is strengthened and spread strongly...

Youth Union members of Cao Xa commune, Lam Thao district, help people harvest rice that was flooded after the circulation of storm No. 3.

Immediately after the flood receded, the province mobilized over 17,000 people, including the police force, the army, shock forces, mass organizations, local people, and people from neighboring communes in flooded areas... to participate in supporting the cleaning of schools, headquarters, and medical facilities; helping people clean up their houses; implementing measures to disinfect, sterilize, and clean the environment in flooded areas; and supporting people to return to their old places of residence to soon stabilize their lives.

Although the flood waters have receded, many houses in the communes of Hien Luong, Dan Thuong, and Tu Hiep (Ha Hoa district) are still deeply flooded. Currently, functional forces, local authorities, and people are still focusing on cleaning up and overcoming the consequences, cleaning the environment, and stabilizing people’s lives and production. For households in deeply flooded areas, continue to mobilize motorboats and boats to ensure safety to bring essential necessities to people in a timely manner with the motto "ensuring people’s safety is paramount." Localities and specialized agencies conduct inspections and reviews of affected works and locations; evaluate the implementation of plans to prevent situations and incidents at locations and areas with key and vulnerable works (especially paying attention to dykes with riverbank erosion, dams, and locations at risk of slope erosion). Continue to monitor the weather situation in a timely manner, provide information, and request households with houses near the slope to proactively evacuate and move people and property to a safe place due to many days of rain; the soil is saturated with water and is at high risk of landslides to minimize possible human losses.

Phu Tho is a locality that has suffered great damage due to natural disasters. According to preliminary statistics up to September 15, the total damage is over VND950 billion. Along with the efforts of localities to continue promoting internal resources, the province really needs to mobilize resources to overcome the great damage caused by natural disasters.

PTO