Viet Nam: From water everywhere to mud everywhere

On 29  September, Typhoon Ketsana hit the central coast of Viet Nam. It has impacted the lives of more than 3,000,000 people. 150,000 remain displaced from their homes. The Viet Nam Red Cross and its volunteers helped to evacuate 160,000 people from low-lying areas and have since been providing life-saving support. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has launched a preliminary emergency appeal for nearly 5 million Swiss francs. Nguyen Hungha is in Viet Nam and shares a personal account of what he has seen.

We have moved from water everywhere to mud everywhere. Large areas of Danang, the third-largest city in Viet Nam, are covered in mud as the waters that flooded the city for days recede.

Yesterday in Quang Tri province there were still large areas that could only be reached by boat. I joined the volunteers of the Viet Nam Red Cross in sailing around to schools and other buildings were people staying on second floors. They were in good spirits but needed food and water.

Quang Tri and neighbouring provinces experienced days of rain after the typhoon, so the flooding continues.

Layers of mud

Here in Danang we are skating around on layers of mud, not only on the streets but also in the houses. People have begun to return but now they are busy cleaning up mud from floors, kitchen tables, furniture and sometimes cabinets taller than people themselves.

I just visited an elderly lady, probably around 80 years old, who used to live close to the sea. She has returned now but has to stay with neighbours as more than half of her house has been destroyed. It seems like they will have to knock down the rest and build a completely new one.

She was not crying, but I could see the sadness on her face as she walked around her scattered belongings in what had been her home for many years.