Mong village chief saves 115 people from flood thanks to bold decision

Faced with the risk of landslides due to prolonged heavy rain, the Mong village chief made a bold but very effective decision.

"The Chay River water was rising and muddy. Cracks appeared on the hill. We had no other choice," Ma Seo Chu (33 years old), Head of Kho Vang Village, Coc Lau Commune, Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province, recalled the moment he had to make a life-or-death decision on September 9.

Timely decision of the village chief

Born and raised in the mountainous region of Lao Cai, Mr. Chu clearly understands the dangers when natural disasters threaten. Previously, the commune had sent many warning documents and messages via Zalo. When he personally inspected with a group of young people in the village, he discovered a worrying crack on the hill just 100 meters from the village. The crack was 20 cm wide and up to 30 meters long.

Trưởng thôn người Mông cứu 115 dân thoát lũ nhờ quyết định táo bạo — *The continuous heavy rain caused the crack on the hill to widen. Unable to contact the commune authorities, Mr. Chu decided to evacuate all the villagers. PHOTO: NVCC*

The situation became even more dangerous when the phone signal was lost, making it impossible to contact the commune authorities. Faced with the risk of a landslide that could happen at any time, the young village chief decided to evacuate all 17 households with 115 people to a high mountain area 1 km away. "Not everyone agreed immediately. But when explaining the risk of a landslide, people understood and listened," Mr. Chu shared. At that time, it was still raining, people only had time to bring blankets and rice. Not only mobilizing people to evacuate, Mr. Chu also directly led a group of young people to prepare temporary accommodation. They cut bamboo, built 14 huts, made beds and stretched tarpaulins to welcome the people. A temporary "village" was established in just a few hours. Life in the refuge was full of hardship. Without electricity or water, people had to light lamps with bamboo tubes filled with oil. The next morning, Mr. Chu and the young men had to cross the forest and stream to the village to bring water, necessities and household items to the people.

It was not until the morning of September 11, after overcoming 15 km of landslides, that the authorities were able to reach the evacuation area. "They were happy to see us safe. After two days of no contact, everyone was worried that the whole village had been swept away by the flood. These were the most unforgettable days in my life and the lives of the villagers. No matter how difficult it was, we had to overcome it as long as we could protect the lives of the people," said Ma Seo Chu.

The devoted village chief

The bold decision to save people from natural disasters is not the first time Mr. Chu has shown his mettle. Five years ago, when he was only 28 years old, Mr. Ma Seo Chu, a young Party member of Kho Vang village Party Cell, was elected by the people as village chief. Despite his young age, he always strives to learn and is determined to fulfill his responsibilities to make many correct decisions for the benefit of the people.

His brave and responsible actions have become an inspirational story in the community. Mr. Ma Seo Chu became one of the 20 "Young people with beautiful lives" in 2024. "This is not only my personal honor but also the pride of the village. I hope that my story will encourage young people in the highlands to be confident, dare to think and dare to do for the community."

The 2024 "Youth Live Beautifully" Award is organized by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union in coordination with TCP Vietnam Company Limited. The honoring ceremony will take place in October 2024 in Hanoi .

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/truong-thon-nguoi-mong-cuu-115-dan-thoat-lu-nho-quyet-dinh-tao-bao-185241010115651304.htm