Soldiers in the flood

Recalling the days of working side by side with local Party committees and authorities to support people of all ethnic groups in Dien Bien province to overcome the consequences of floods, Colonel Vu Ngoc Hai said: At the end of July and the beginning of August 2025, after many days of heavy rain, a terrible flash flood suddenly devastated most of the villages along the stream in the communes of Na Son, Xa Dung, Tia Dinh, Muong Luan, and Sin Thau.

Hundreds of houses were swept away by floodwaters; many schools and roads were destroyed.

Troops of Division 355 (Military Region 2) marched to rescue people in the flood zone of Dien Bien.

In conditions of isolated terrain, traffic congestion, and communication difficulties, officers and soldiers of the unit still stick to the area, divide into small groups, go to each household to help move assets to a safe place; provide timely food, drinking water, and medicine, so that people do not go hungry.

At Suoi Lu village (Xa Dung commune), soldiers supported 8 households to move their belongings to a safe place; helped Suoi Lu Secondary School and Kindergarten clean up, renovate the landscape, and clear more than 200m of landslide road.

In Hang Pu Xi village (Xa Dung commune), 22 officers and soldiers of the emergency unit helped Mr. Mua A Va's family move their belongings and clean up mud. In 2 months, officers and soldiers of Division 355 contributed 1,590 working days, transported 1,400m³ of mud, helping Dien Bien province overcome the consequences of natural disasters, ensuring absolute safety for people and vehicles.

Officers and soldiers of Regiment 82 support people rebuilding houses in Tia Mung village (Tia Dinh commune, Dien Bien province) after floods.

While on duty, the unit also discovered a 350kg bomb in the Pa Vat bridge area (Muong Luan commune). The Engineering force was immediately mobilized to coordinate handling and safely evacuate.

Lieutenant Colonel Chu Dai Phong, Party Secretary and Political Commissar of Regiment 82, said that in the face of the complicated developments of storm No. 11 causing heavy rain and flooding in many areas, the unit is continuing to coordinate with local Party committees and authorities, ready to mobilize forces and means to support people when situations arise.

Revive life for our people

Over the past two months, along with training and combat readiness missions, Division 355 has deployed hundreds of officers and soldiers to damaged residential areas and resettlement areas, actively helping people overcome the consequences of natural disasters and supporting local authorities to build 35 houses for households swept away by floods.

Soldiers who were used to guns and sunny and windy training grounds were now ready to become diligent and skillful masons and ironworkers, building sturdy houses at resettlement sites.

Soldiers of Regiment 82 (Division 355) support people of Xa Dung commune (Dien Bien province) to overcome the consequences of floods.

Colonel Nguyen Cong Phuong, Party Secretary and Political Commissar of Division 355, said that in order to ensure quality and speed up the progress of the project, helping people stabilize their lives soon, the Party Committee and Command of Division 355 focused on leading and directing Regiment 82 to closely coordinate with local Party Committees and authorities to actively stick to the area, specifically count the workload, especially build the determination of the troops, ensure that 100% of officers and soldiers grasp their tasks, understand the customs and practices of the people, and strictly follow the discipline of mass mobilization during the performance of their tasks.

Officers and soldiers of Regiment 82 (Division 355) support the construction of resettlement houses for flood victims in Dien Bien, August 2025.

Colonel Nguyen Cong Phuong affirmed: "Each officer and soldier of the Division always considers helping people in flood-affected areas a sacred duty, a blood relationship between the army and the people, and an honor of Uncle Ho's soldiers in the new era."

Many families were moved to tears when the new house was completed. Mrs. Lo Thi Sinh, in Suoi Lu village, choked up: “Without the Party Committee, local government and the support of the army, my family would not know where to live, because the house was swept away by the flood. The army not only helped build the house, but also encouraged, shared, and treated me like a family member, which is very precious.”

Referring to the officers and soldiers of Division 355, comrade Tran Quoc Cuong, member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee, emotionally expressed: “In the most difficult days after the floods in the province, the image of officers and soldiers of Division 355, regardless of difficulties and hardships, ready to rush into the flood to help people, left a deep impression in the hearts of the people. That is a vivid proof of the quality of Uncle Ho's soldiers, always devoted and wholeheartedly serving the people”.

Comrade Tran Quoc Cuong, member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee (standing in the middle) visited Division 355 (Military Region 2).

In the mountains and forests of the Northwest, the resettlement houses built by officers and soldiers of Division 355 in coordination with other forces have been contributing to the revival of the lives of people in the flood zone. Each brick, each meter of wall is soaked with sweat and effort of officers and soldiers, and also contains the love and responsibility of Uncle Ho's soldiers for the people in times of difficulty and misfortune.

As the sun sets over Muong Luan Mountain, the silhouettes of soldiers still linger on the construction site. They do not boast about their achievements, nor do they calculate gains and losses. For them, the greatest reward is the smiles and sincere thanks of the people in the flooded areas when they have a place to live and work again.

From the first days of crossing forests, streams, leveling the ground, until handing over the last houses to the people in the flooded areas, the soldiers of Division 355 still maintained the spirit of "Helping people is an order from the heart". From now on, each photo, each memory in the heart of the Dien Bien flood will forever be engraved in the hearts of the officers and soldiers with sacred pride...

Article and photos: TRAN VAN HUNG

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/nuoi-duong-van-hoa-bo-doi-cu-ho/bo-doi-giup-dung-nha-coi-minh-nhu-nguoi-than-quy-lam-849600