Helen Clark and Van Ngyuyen, IFRC, Hanoi
Viet Nam has been inundated with two serious floods in as many weeks, as flood waters rose swiftly after exceptionally heavy rains. Over 8O are confirmed dead after the two instances and some half million are affected.
Though footage of the army delivering food via helicopter has made the evening news in Viet Nam some of the transportation means used by the Viet Nam Red Cross have been much more humble, but effective in getting to those in need: xe bo, or simple carts hauled through isolated areas by cows.
These xe bo working in the service of local branches of the Red Cross have been delivering instant noodles, clothes and clean drinking water to people in remote, storm affected areas, such as Quang Binh’s Tan Hoa commune in Minh Hoa district.
According to Cao Quang Canh, vice president of the Quang Binh provincial Red Cross branch, “Sixty per cent of the commune is isolated and there was still no electricity when we were there.”
From Oxen to Canoes
Where oxen can’t make it canoes have, delivering supplies to families affected by two serious floods in as many weeks. Though storm season is always tough on Viet Nam, this year’s serious flooding has taken a heavier toll than usual. .
Bui Thi Mai, the president of the Nghe An Red Cross, a province which has been worse affected by these floods said of her trip to Nghi Yen commune, “All I could see was the flood, dotted with rooftops sticking out. When we reached the town we took canoes for a seven kilometre trip to distribute noodles to villages.”
She said she saw carrying their farm animals to boats to go to the basic, temporary tents erected to offer shelter. All elderly and young were evacuated to safe houses earlier.
Health an issue
Health is an issue as waters have not receded, people are eating instant noodles raw as they have no hot water. After two days of being wet and cold some are getting fevers. Ms Mai says this is the worst flood in at least sixty years.
What looked like an ordinary depression over the South China Sea delivered some of the heaviest rain and worst flooding Viet Nam has seen in recent years.
The rains, which began October 1 and continued for days, killed over 60 people, destroyed crops, live stock and infrastructure. Medical facilities and schools have particularly suffered. Of the five affected provinces - Thua Thien Hue, Nghe An, Quang Tri, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh - two have been badly hit.
The central coast is regularly battered by storms and deluged in rain and floods. ‘Living with floods’ is more than a slogan here; it’s an often daily reality. However thanks to less early warning than normal - such severe floods are often prefaced with a typhoon or tropical storm - many did not have time to adequately prepare. Added to that the sheer volume of rainfall, up to 900 milimeters in some cases, has meant that an estimated half million people were left affected.
Fresh rains add trouble
After four more days of rain, from October 14, three provinces are in trouble, according to authorities - Nghe An, Quang Binh and Ha Tinh - and 27 are confirmed dead. Another 20 are missing after a bus travelling along main artery Highway 1 from Dack Nong province to the capital Hanoi was washed off the road in Ha Tinh province by a 60-centemetre deep flood.
Seventeen, including the driver, survived by grabbing things near to hand. The missing 20 are presumed dead, according to authorities. Few know how to swim in Viet Nam and drowning after floods or boats capsizing is common.
According to authorities over 120,000 people have been evacuated from their homes and 3,500 people have been transferred via bus to various cities after flooding left train tracks unusable.
Quang Binh Red Cross’ Vice President Canh says this is the worst flood of sixty years. “People are stunned, and desperate,” he said.
“The impact of two floods within two weeks,” has been very hard. Those who have lost their homes are staying with neighbours, a good sign of community resilience according to Canh, but “we are worried about food” and how to restore people’s livelhihoods after this disaster remains a key concern for the future.