A fact that landslide and flash floods triggered by storm No. 3 (known as typhoon Yagi) causing huge damages to some northern Vietnamese provinces and cities has made every Vietnamese citizen, including those residing in Da Nang, very worried. These days, authorities at all levels, relevant agencies, many volunteer groups and residents across this city have turned grief into real, meaningful actions, joining hands to contribute material and spiritual donations to these northern provinces, thus helping people affected by natural disasters overcome their difficulties as soon as possible. 

Take highly practical actions

Storm No. 3 caused heavy damage to such northern localities as Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Hai Duong and Ha Noi. Then, due to the impact of the storm, the midland and mountainous provinces of the North such as Thai Nguyen, Lao Cai, Lang Son, Yen Bai, Bac Giang, Phu Tho... also struggled to cope with the floods.

As soon as they read the news about the cited natural disasters, the young men of the Da Nang SOS Team immediately made plans to go to the North to support the people here. On September 9, five members of the team brought essential items such as life jackets, boats, generators, flashlights, and wood saws in support for those affected by the floods.

People on Ly Van Phuc Street, Ngu Hanh Son District, work together overnight to cook ‘banh chung’ and ‘banh tet’ for the North. Photo: BAO LAM

Mr. Dang Ngoc Tien, the leader of the Da Nang SOS Team, said that, upon arriving in Do Son District, Hai Phong City, the team urgently carried out rescue work, cleared fallen trees, and provided food and clean water to those in flooded areas. Having completed their work, the team moved to Yen Bai Province, approached villages and hamlets that had been eroded by floods.

Meanwhile, the Da Nang Pickup Truck Club organised the first trip to the northern provinces with more than 30 members, carrying inflatable boats and life jackets to rescue people in flooded areas. Not directly participating in the relief delegation to the North, Mr. Le Thanh Long, Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District, a member of the Da Nang Pickup Truck Club, chose to mobilise family members, dwellers in his residential area and members of the club to cook 1,000 ‘banh chung’ and ‘banh tet’, Viet Nam’s traditional sticky rice cakes, for transportation to the North.

In addition, members of the Da Nang Pickup Truck Club also opened support points for people in flood-hit areas at 163 Cach Mang Thang Tam, 390 Nguyen Huu Tho, 110 Ly Van Phuc to receive generous donations from benefactors.

Mr. Ho Ngoc Thanh, residing in Hai Chau District is mobilising all human resources to prepare a large amount of instant food and essential items to support people affected by natural disasters. Since September 9, he has transferred funds to Bao Dan Pagoda, Phuoc Hiep Pagoda, and Ngoc Hong Monastery, all in Quang Nam Province, to mobilise Buddhists, monks and nuns to buy sticky rice and package 1,700 ‘banh tet’, and at the same time ordered 1,000 ‘banh chung’ at a facility specialising in providing ‘banh tet’ in Da Nang and mobilised drinking water, cakes, milk, and essential items for prompt transportation to the northern mountainous provinces.

“At this time, what people need most is instant food, drinking water, flashlights, and life jackets, so I prioritize support first. After the water recedes, I will continue to mobilize medicine, clothes, and come up with a plan to support livelihoods to help people quickly recover and stabilize their lives after the natural disaster,”, said Mr. Thanh.

The first shipment sent to the northern mountainous region, which departed on the evening of September 11 by Mr. Thanh and other donors, included 1,000 ‘banh chung’, 1,700 ‘banh tet’, 500 cartons of 1.5-liter bottles of water, 200 cartons of mineral water, 3,800 fresh breads, more than 15 cartons of bread sandwiches, 5 cartons of fresh milk, 300 cartons of milk for children, 400 cartons of instant noodles, 100 packages of instant porridge and 700 life jackets. Before that, he had also sent 300 headlamps and 9 cartons of dry food to the capital city of Ha Noi for later transportation to the mountainous provinces.

Members of the SOS Team Da Nang join hands with other units to transport necessities and essential supplies to those in flood-hit northern areas. Photo: DANG NGOC TIEN

Deepening the love of fellow countrymen

The Da Nang Department of Education and Training has issued an official dispatch calling on managers, civil servants, public employees, teachers, workers, students, and trainees at all units and schools across the city to support people in provinces and cities affected by storm No. 3 in general, and the education and training sector in these cited localities in particular. Many schools made donations of cash, moon cakes, and necessities to people affected by natural disasters.

In the past two days, a large rattan basket appeared in the yard of Ngoc Lan Kindergarten (Hai Chau District) with the words “Place to receive donations of shoes and sandals for children in mountainous areas”.

Mr. Pham Tri from Hai Chau District whose child now studies at Ngoc Lan Kindergarten shared: “I have had the opportunity to visit many mountainous, remote and isolated provinces of the northwest and northeast areas and I saw that the people here are very poor. Through the school’s appeal, we, the parents, are willing to join hands to support and share with the people and children in the flood-affected areas”.

Ms. Nguyen Quoc Thu Tram, the Principal of Ngoc Lan Kindergarten, said that after receiving the shoes, teachers and students will carefully classify and package them for provision to pupils in the North.  In addition, teachers and pupils of the older kindergarten classes personally made 100 moon cakes for children in the North. In the future, the school will continue to organise a mid-autumn fair to raise funds from teachers and parents for those affected by natural disasters in the North.

“Through these activities, we not only share love to the disadvantaged areas but also want to teach children to be kind, the spirit of caring and sharing, thereby helping to form good personalities for them in the future,” said Ms. Tram.

At Hoang Hoa Tham High School, the School Youth Union organisaion is mobilising necessities, books, clothes and school supplies to those residing in flood-hit areas. Teacher Le Manh Tan said that the school is surveying where there is real need to give to the right place and the right person.

Meanwhile, according to Nguyen Hy, the Principal of Duy Tan Primary School in Lien Chieu District, the school is mobilising staff, teachers and employees to donate one day's salary. Pupils and their parents are willing and voluntary to join hands to support people, schools and students in flood-stricken areas.

Promoting the tradition of solidarity and mutual love of the nation, contributing to helping people overcome the aftermaths caused by the natural disasters, the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Committee of Da Nang has just issued a letter calling for donations to help people in the worst-hit localities recover from the disaster.

According to the appeal, every cadre, civil servant, public employee, armed force member and worker in the city is encouraged to contribute a day's salary to the aid effort. Additionally, citizens, religious organisations, agencies, units and businesses are encouraged to donate voluntarily, according to their capacity and goodwill. The fundraising runs from September 10 until October 10.

Reporting by LAM PHUONG, NGOC HA - Translating by A. THU