HCMC shares burden with Khanh Hoa Province
On November 23, Deputy Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee cum Chairman of the HCMC Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee Nguyen Phuoc Loc led an HCMC working delegation to visit and encourage forces managing flood recovery in Khanh Hoa Province.
The delegation visited workers from HCMC Urban Environment Co. Ltd., who were assisting Khanh Hoa Province with environmental cleanup, and met volunteers running a field kitchen at Nha Trang University. They also inspected the transport of relief goods by HCMC’s Youth Volunteer Force for the Khanh Hoa Provincial Military Command and surveyed Co.opmart Nha Trang Supermarket to ensure there were no shortages or price gouging.
As an immediate measure, HCMC is providing VND50 billion (US$1.96 million) in emergency support to the province. The city is also deploying a range of activities:
- operating four field kitchens providing 24,000 meals/day;
- distributing 50,000 essential gift bags, 10,000 family medicine kits, and 10,000 life jackets;
- delivering 150 tons of goods;
- arranging for 30-50 doctors to support medical examinations and treatment;
- assisting with school repairs;
- restoring 550 telecom stations;
- mobilizing vehicles and personnel for cleanup, alongside 400 volunteers participating in the relief effort.
Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Secretary Nghiem Xuan Thanh reported that as of November 23, initial estimates place infrastructure damage in the province at around VND5.1 trillion ($200 million), excluding losses incurred by residents.
To address this, the province plans to support residents with VND60 million ($2,300) for collapsed houses and VND30 million for repairs. Families heavily damaged by floods will receive VND1 million ($38) per person, and students from primary school level upwards in affected families will receive VND500,000 ($19) each for textbooks. The locality has also focused on mobilizing forces to help residents clean up the environment, prioritizing schools and hospitals.
On the same day, Khanh Hoa Province received over 100 tonnes of essential goods transported by the HCMC Youth Volunteer Force to timely support flood-affected residents. Additionally, the locality received tens of tonnes of goods and necessities sent from many other provinces and cities across the country.
From November 24 to December 6, the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC) will deploy free injections of purified tetanus antitoxin serum and adsorbed tetanus vaccine for residents in the province’s flood zones and rescue forces.
Military Regions 5 and 7 join recovery efforts
In recent days, facing complex flood developments, Military Region 5 established a Forward Command Post at Regional Defense Area 6 – Tuy Hoa. It deployed two working delegations and mobilized nearly 7,500 officers and soldiers along with 144 vehicles, including two helicopters.
These forces evacuated 7,232 households (29,983 people) and provided emergency rescue for over 6,300 households. They distributed over 5 tonnes of essential goods and 20,000 gift bags; organized 15 field kitchens cooking over 27,000 meals; air-dropped relief supplies by helicopter to Hoa Xuan Commune; and cleaned up schools, health stations, roads, and houses for 460 households.
In the morning of November 23, 100 officers and soldiers from Brigade 368 were present at Nhon Binh Junior High School (Quy Nhon Dong Ward) to clear mud and clean the schoolyard, desks, chairs, and classrooms, aiming to welcome students back soon.
The flood submerged this school under 1.5-2 meters of water, heavily damaging facilities, teaching equipment, and books. “The flood receded slowly; only today is Quy Nhon Dong basically clear of water. Thanks to the soldiers’ support, recovery is being accelerated to welcome students back to school soon,” said Principal Nguyen Van Son of Nhon Binh Junior High.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thanh Dieu confirmed that Brigade 368 mobilized forces to sanitize schools and salvage wet documents, striving to restore normal operations with the highest sense of responsibility.
Quy Nhon Dong Ward Party Secretary Huynh Ngoc Hoang reported the deployment of 450 personnel in Quy Nhon Dong, comprising troops from the Provincial Military Command, Brigade 368, and Naval Squadron 48, for environmental cleanup. To date, the ward has distributed 10,000 meals and essentials to prevent hunger. Moving forward, authorities will implement support policies to help residents stabilize their lives in the flood’s aftermath.
Furthermore, a Mi-17 helicopter from Regiment 930 departed from Phu Cat Airport (Gia Lai Province), carrying 1.5 tonnes of food and essentials such as dry provisions, cakes, milk, water, and life jackets to supply isolated residents in Tuy An Dong and Tuy An Tay communes and the Long Thang stadium area (Dak Lak Province).
The Regiment 930 helicopter continued to execute a second airdrop of relief goods to support residents in Hoa Xuan Ward (Dak Lak Province). By yesterday afternoon, in Hoa Xuan Commune, some residential areas remained submerged. Hundreds of volunteer groups from all over the country arrived carrying food and necessities to support the people.
Deployed to Gia Lai’s Tuy Phuoc zone since November 18, Major Vo Van Tin of Brigade 573 maintains 50 soldiers for post-flood recovery. Prioritizing school repairs to facilitate the return of education, the unit operates on a “clean as we go” motto. Major Vo Van Tin affirmed they will not redeploy until the flood zone is truly restored and lives are stabilized.
In Lam Dong Province, Military Region 7 reinforced Infantry Division 302 and Engineer Brigade 25 with over 300 troops and vehicles to support flood recovery. As waters receded, soldiers actively cleared roads, schools, and agricultural areas across multiple districts, crucial efforts that helped residents begin stabilizing their lives.
In Ia Pa Commune (Gia Lai Province), for the past three days, 75 officers and soldiers of Brigade 7 (Army Corps 34) coordinated with local forces to clear mud from classrooms and homes, unclog drains, and repair roads. Chairman Le Tien Manh of Ia Pa Commune People’s Committee said that thanks to the army’s help, schools have been cleaned up and are ready to welcome students back, and many homes have also been remediated, helping residents feel secure in their daily lives.
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