Human love overcomes storms and floods

Over the past few days, Thai Nguyen has been struggling with historic floods. However, amidst the hardship, humanity still shines through from the charity kitchen, calls to each other in the night, and hands held tightly to overcome the floods.

Associations and unions of Bac Kan ward organized cooking to support rescue forces.

Flames from compassion

In recent days, in wards in the central administrative area, such as Quang Vinh, Phan Dinh Phung... the water level has risen, causing many places to be submerged. The normally bustling streets now have only the sound of rescue boat engines and the sound of people calling each other in the drizzling rain. Many households are isolated, boats cannot enter, people have to climb ladders over walls to receive bags of rice and bottles of water.

According to preliminary statistics of the province, 5,450 houses were damaged, of which 5,096 houses were flooded/isolated, and about 490 houses were urgently evacuated. The water level at Gia Bay hydrological station (Cau River) rose very high, at times exceeding the flood peak in 2024 by about 1.09m. Prolonged heavy rain, with rainfall exceeding 500mm in some places, caused many roads and spillways to collapse, traffic was cut off; thousands of hectares of crops were flooded and damaged.

On the night of October 8, many people in Duc Xuan ward stayed up all night to wrap nearly 400 banh chung to send to people in flooded areas.

Vice Chairwoman of Duc Xuan Ward People's Committee Vu Thi Kim Quynh said: We have just returned from the southern communes and wards of the province to give gifts. People together wrapped banh chung, collected necessities to send to flooded areas, even to the northern communes. Some people contributed boxes of noodles, some brought bags of rice, no one told anyone, just did it together.

Ms. Nguyen Thi My Linh's group cooks rice to support people affected by floods.

Ms. Nguyen Thi My Linh (owner of a small restaurant in Bac Kan ward) and dozens of people cooked hundreds of meals to support people in flooded areas. Sharing with us after returning from a trip to support people in southern communes and wards affected by floods, she said: Everyone contributed whatever they had. Some contributed rice, some contributed meat, some contributed labor. We only hope that everyone in the flooded areas will have enough to eat and have the strength to clean up when the water recedes.

After a sleepless night, Ms. Nguyen Thi My Linh's group completed 500 meals with food including sesame salt, boiled eggs, green squash, and fried meat, all vacuum-sealed to ensure the best quality.

The meals traveled dozens of kilometers to communes and wards that were still submerged in water and mud. After returning from the trip, Ms. Linh started calling on people to support necessities for people in Na Ri commune, which was also heavily affected.

In Duc Xuan ward, on October 9, 1,600 meals and many necessities were brought to flood victims, cooked by hundreds of members of the ward's Farmers' Association and Women's Association.

Ms. La Thi Thuy Hang, an official of the Duc Xuan Ward Farmers' Association, said: Everyone came early to help each other prepare and cook. Each person had a job. We hope that the small portions of rice will reach everyone, helping to share some of the difficulties that the flooded people are experiencing.

Everywhere towards Thai Nguyen

Mr. Nguyen Viet Anh, Head of the Hope Volunteer Group in Hanoi , arrived in Thai Nguyen with many necessities to support the people early. Nguyen Viet Anh and his group directly rowed boats to deliver necessities and helped to evacuate many people from deep flooded areas.

Mr. Viet Anh's volunteer group promptly supported people isolated by floodwaters.

At the same time, many working groups from Bac Giang, Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, etc. also came to Thai Nguyen to support. The images of police, army, and militia soldiers wading in water, carrying old people and children out of flooded areas made everyone who witnessed them choke up.

Many groups of students, union members, and youth spread out to all wards and communes, distributing thousands of meals, hundreds of loaves of bread, sticky rice, porridge, and water to people... with only one wish: to support people as much as possible.

According to the Thai Nguyen Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, as of October 8, organizations and individuals across the country have registered to support flood victims with a total amount of more than 798 billion VND, of which 170 billion VND has been transferred to the province's relief account. Relief teams continue to pour in, bringing not only necessities, but also sharing and love.

Currently, in many places the water has gradually receded, people and authorities are cleaning, disinfecting, and collecting waste. Many families have focused on cleaning their houses, gradually stabilizing their lives.

The flood will pass, everyone is tired, but their eyes are still bright, because they are not alone. And, in the memory of Thai Nguyen people, there will forever be the warm sleepless nights, the boats loaded with life jackets, and bags of bread and milk carrying hope...

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202510/tinh-nguoi-vuot-qua-bao-lu-e1531dc/