Flooding days in Hue city, November, 2019
"Two months later, in my dream, I still saw flood rising"
Mr. Nguyen Van Me, the former Chairman of Thua Thien Hue People's Committee started his story by such saying. “The most dramatic scenes were mud covering a thick layer on the roof and carcasses hanging on bamboo tops” Mr. Me said about his obsession after the 1999 flood.
Heavy rain started from the previous day. In theo next morning, November 2, 1999 flood began to rise in the city. Before that, dragonflies flock flew low down. In the East, clouds sprouted up like buds ... Thinking of bad things from folk experiences, Mr. Me came to his office early. When he arrived the People's Committee headoffice, the water flood rose suddenly. By noon, bad news arrived from every areas in province. A number of the People's Committee’s staff dispatched to get the situation of flood was missing by the boat capsizing …
Mr. Nguyen Van Me, the former Chairman of Thua Thien Hue People's Committee said about his obsession
“At that time, I had just enough time to promptly phone Mr. Doan Manh Giao (Minister, Chairman of the Government Office) and asked the Central authority to help Thua Thien Hue province. Shortly thereafter, all means of communication were completely cut off ” Mr. Me recalled.
The rain continued pouring like a waterfall. Data from the Hydrographic Forecast Center was recorded: In the flood days, rainfall sometimes reached the top of 2,000mm. An astronomical phenomenon has never happened in Hue for more than a century.
Heavy rains occurred continuosly in 7 days (from November 1-7, 1999) and submerged 90% of the hilly area. On the Perfume River and the Bo river, two big rivers in Hue - the water level sometimes rose to 8-9m.
View of Hue streets in November 2, 2019
Horrible memories
On September 26, 2019 (lunar calendar) this year, Da Bac street has a common death anniversary for 13 people who died tragically as buried by landslide from mountains in Mui Ne Pass (Phu Loc town, Phu Loc district). Everyone went to the common shrine to burn incense and commemorate the unfortunate victims.
Flood damages
Ms. Hoang Thi Nhieu, an old woman, still felt painful when she referred to the tragic death of her youngest son.
Pointing to a well about midle of Mui Ne pass, Mrs. Nhieu said in a choked voice: “That had been Uncle Thao's house (Mr. Thao was buried by mountain). On November 3, 1999, the villagers came to this house to avoid floods. My husband and I sent our youngest son, who was high secondary school boy, there, then we went back home. At around 8 pm, we suddenly heard the roar of the broken tree and the sound of straying voices. Everyone ran there and saw a horrific view. 14 people and my youngest son were buried deep in the rocks and trees.
In the weak flashlight, there were sounds of screams and crying. Hands digged rocks hopelessly.
Highest rainfall in the whole territory of Vietnam in 100 years
A miracle only happened to a female student because the soil did not bury her whole body. Mr. Nguyen Duc Phuong (currently working in Phu Loc district), the lucky girl’s brother, has difficulty recalling painful memories because among the deceased include both his parents. Witnessing that tragedy, Phuong's sister suffered a mental crisis for a long time.
“Today, after 20 years, no one dares to remind the heartbreaking story because my younger sister is still panicked. Every time, a birthday cake is prepared for her on my parents’ death anniversary as that's the day she was born again, ”said Phuong.
Water rises too quickly, flooding over the roof
At the flood navel of the Huong river, Bang Lang villagers are still shocked when they recall that day
Ms. Ngo Thi Loi from Bang Lang village (Thuy Bang commune, Huong Thuy town) recalled: “The flood came so quickly that no response could be done. We just climbed on the roof in hopes that we would be rescued. Fortunately, hundreds of people trapped in the flood were rescued by boats. "
Aftermath of flood
In Huong Tho hillock commune (Huong Tra town), people fled to high lands for escaping. However, 57 teachers and students of Huong Tho Secondary School did not keep up. Mr. Le Van Hong, former guard of the school, recalls: “The water rose so fast, it reached the roof, so we used the machete to break up the roof. Around the swirling water swept each house, the trees sounded sizzling. Everything was lost in the sea of water ”.
Ms. Bui Thi Trang of Quang Phu Commune (Quang Dien District)
After days of clinging to the roof of the house flooded with water, 57 people trapped in hunger and despair were rescued.
Narrowly escaping from death, Bui Thi Trang of Quang Phu Commune (Quang Dien District) experienced from such fear. Seeing the rising water, 60 people evacuated to the office house of the commune People’s Committee. Two o'clock in the morning, water came in. “There are lots of shouts when the office house was shaken. People tied up together so that if they die, their bodies could be found” Trang said.
In a hopelessmoment, Trang and 59 others were rescued by people’s boats, before the violent currents swept the office house of the People's Committee of Quang Phu Commune in a moment.
In the Hue city, the number of casualties waas in Phu Binh, Thuan Loc, Kim Long ... increased rapidly. At the Memorial Monument of soldiers, in front of the National High School, rows of coffins lay there with the dead.
373 deaths and 200 injuries were terrible consequences caused by the 1999 flood.
Everyone got up, starting from what was left
Immediately after the flood, air bridges were set up for relief. According to the memory of the members of the provincial steering committee for natural disaster prevention and control, when the water receded, the scene was so devastated ... Houses and trees were flattened. Villages became ragged. The loss was too great, but everyone got up, starting from what was left.
People inside have tried their best and those outside joined their hands. All have created strength, faith for restoration. People helped people, villages helped villages, restoring their livies.
The Dragon Village was "born" after the great flood in 1999 in An Hai residential area, Thuan An town, Phu Vang district. The name of the village was given by former General Secretary Le Kha Phieu, which showed people’s strength, will and aspirations. They were 64 households in Hai Thanh village, resettled after the great flood. On November 11 of 20 years ago, floods washed away 64 houses in their Hai Thanh village.
Restoration after flood 1999
After 20 years of settling in a new land, many spacious houses have been sprouted up in the Dragon Village. There are no more hungry and poor households. People earn their lives by the traditional fishing and aquaculture left by their ancestors.
Mr. Tran Van Thu is one of the survivors of the flood but his 12 relatives are no longer alive. Both his wife, children and parents were swept away by the flood, only he and his sister survived
Flood went away, Mr. Thu was alone as a shadow. The sad memories made him, in many times, not want to live any more.
6 new water fronts appeared in Thua Thien Hue
But he got up, in the the villagers’ and his sister’s care and share. He took his boat to the sea again, season after season. And he found a new partner, had children ... At the end of the season, Mr. Thu and his wife went to the south to do business.
When we went to Dragon Village, Mr. Thu's whole family was in the South. But the Dragon village still told about him, as a symbol of human strength, will, belief in life ....
Healing Hoa Duan water front: Bold decision
The aftermath of the 1999 flood created an unprecedented event in history: 6 new water fronts appeared in Thua Thien Hue, including ones in Hai Duong (Huong Tra), Thuan An (Phu Vang), Vinh Hai (Phu Loc), Tu Hien (Phu Loc), Loc Thuy (Phu Loc). After the flood, a bold decision was made: to heal the Hoa Duan new water front at Thuan An Beach. August, 2000, nearly 1 year after the flood, this water front was healed and merged and now becoming Highway 498.
The implementation of project faced controversy and strong opposition opions, which considered it as "breaking crutches against the sky". However, we organized the "Diên Hồng consultation conference" for listening the elders’ opinions and obtained experts’ calculation. Time has proved that it was a bold and right decision. "Mr. Nguyen Van Me, former chairman of Thua Thien Hue province, affirmed.
To be continued with Part 2: HUMAN LOVE COULD NOT BE TAKEN AWAY BY FLOOD
