Quickly overcome the isolation of villages in Yen Hoa commune

Life threatened because of no more bridge

On the morning of October 6, the start of a new week was also the time for teachers and students to go to school. However, in Yen Hoa commune, the start was not as usual, because the solid bridge connecting the commune center with 3 villages of the commune was swept away by the flood, teachers and students could not cross the river as usual. Instead, they had to rely on functional forces such as the police, militia, commune and village officials to mobilize boats and canoes to take groups of teachers and students across the river in the fast-flowing, murky floodwaters.

On the morning of October 7, local forces of Yen Hoa commune helped students from isolated villages climb mountains and cross rivers to get to school. Photo: CSCC

“On Monday, 209 students and 28 teachers had to wait for groups of teachers and students to get on boats to cross the river. Because the Trung Thang concrete bridge connecting the commune center with 3 villages (Xop Coc village, Vang Lin village and Tat village) was swept away by the flood, now only the bridge abutments on both sides and 1 bridge leg in the middle of the water remain,” said Mr. Dau Duc Truyen - Chairman of Yen Hoa Commune People's Committee.

Also because the bridge was washed away, in 2 consecutive days (October 5-6), there were 4 cases of people in 3 isolated villages getting seriously ill and having to go to the emergency room. The commune and village forces had to run, use motorbikes and even make rafts to take people across the river to the hospital for emergency treatment.

Mr. Lo Thanh Binh - Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee said: On the morning of October 5, at around 8:30 am, after receiving a distress call from the people, the Commune Police along with the Commune and Village officials walked, rode motorbikes, and used boats and rafts to cross the river to Tat village to take the two people across the river to the hospital. The process of taking the patient was very difficult, there were sections where the Police had to carry the baby and walk along the slippery mountainside and riverbank. Then they used stretchers and motorbikes to race against time to save the patient...

Screenshot 2025-10-06 at 09.29.08 — The bridge collapsed, more than 200 students and 28 teachers in Yen Hoa commune went to school thanks to the help of the forces (October 7). Photo: CSCC

Previously, on October 4, old lady Lo Thi Duong (75 years old), in Xop Coc village had appendicitis, the local Party Committee and government sent the police and military forces to wait for motorbikes, make rafts and send swimmers to accompany the rafts to urgently support her to cross the flood so that she could get on a car prepared to cross National Highway 48C, then on an ambulance to take her to the hospital in Con Cuong. Thanks to the efforts of the forces, the lives of old lady Lo Thi Duong as well as Mr. Phuc and his grandson Manh were saved in time.

Previously, right after the storm ended, heavy rain and rising water swept away two construction workers who were in the commune. Until now (October 7), they have not been found. One case was a child of the commune living in Dien Chau who went to visit his grandmother in Xieng Lip village. When he got near Trung Thang bridge, he was swept away by floodwaters. His body has now been found and his family has brought him home for burial.

Urgent need to build a bridge across the river

Screenshot 2025-10-07 at 11.08.17 — Luong Duy Manh, 4 years old, in Tat village, had a high fever and had to be taken to the emergency room on October 6. Photo: CSCC

Faced with continuous threats to the lives of many people and disadvantages in the movement and study of students and teachers, Mr. Dau Duc Truyen said that currently, the commune is researching and balancing financial resources as well as calling on organizations and individuals for additional support to build a temporary bridge across the river.

“The Trung Thang concrete bridge was swept away by the flood, leaving only the two abutments and one bridge pier in the middle of the water. We are temporarily planning to build an iron bridge for people to walk across. The iron bars will be welded together and the remaining abutments and pier will be used as support. However, this is only a temporary solution. If there is another flood and the river water rises, even if a temporary bridge is built, the authorities will still have to prohibit crossing. Because the river here flows rapidly, rises quickly, and is very dangerous with soil, rocks, and trees.”

It is known that during and after storm No. 10, Yen Hoa commune suffered heavy damage to people, property and infrastructure. Specifically, the storm wind and heavy rain caused 7 houses to collapse completely; 103 houses were flooded and 18 villages and hamlets were completely isolated for many days. In addition, Yen Hoa Secondary School was flooded 1-3m, water flooded the first floor classrooms and flooded Yen Thang Kindergarten.

The leaders of the People's Committee and forces approached Tat and Xop Coc villages to grasp the situation and call for support from the people. Photo: CSCC

Regarding traffic routes, National Highway 48C was flooded at 3 points at Cooc village, Yen Tan village and Xop Chang bridge, Yen Hop village. Provincial Road 543B at Na Pu spillway was deeply flooded, people could not pass. DH 11 route had 3 overflow points flooded at Vang Ong spillway, Xop Coc spillway and Vang Mai spillway, causing Xop Coc and Tat villages to be cut off. Xieng Lip - Xop Kha route had a spillway that was deeply flooded, had many landslides, Xop Kha village was isolated. Yen Tan - Yen Huong route had Yen Huong spillway, water rose, Yen Huong village was isolated. Canh Khin village route had Khe Ngau spillway that was flooded, isolating 30 households in Canh Khin village. The reinforced concrete bridge on DH11 Trung Thang route to Tat village collapsed and was washed away.